arXiv subjects

Vance Faber

Publications and source records attributed to Vance Faber.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Network routing on regular directed graphs from spanning factorizations

Networks with a high degree of symmetry are useful models for parallel processor networks. In earlier papers, we defined several global communication tasks (universal exchange, universal broadcast, universal summation) that can be critical tasks when complex algorithms are mapped to parallel machines. We showed that utilizing the symmetry can make network optimization a tractable problem. In particular, we showed that Cayley graphs have the desirable property that certain routing schemes starting from a single node can be transferred to all nodes in a way that does not introduce conflicts. In this paper, we define the concept of spanning factorizations and show that this property can also be used to transfer routing schemes from a single node to all other nodes. We show that all Cayley graphs and many (perhaps all) vertex transitive graphs have spanning factorizations.

math.CO↗

arXiv2014

Transpose on vertex symmetric digraphs

We discuss transpose (sometimes called universal exchange or all-to-all) on vertex symmetric networks. We provide a method to compare the efficiency of transpose schemes on two different networks with a cost function based on the number processors and wires needed to complete a given algorithm in a given time.

math.CO↗

arXiv2014

Automorphisms of the cycle prefix digraph

Cycle prefix digraphs have been proposed as an efficient model of symmetric interconnection networks for parallel architecture. It has been discovered that the cycle prefix networks have many attractive communication properties. In this paper, we determine the automorphism group of the cycle prefix digraphs. We show that the automorphism group of a cycle prefix digraph is isomorphic to the symmetric group on its underlying alphabet. Our method can be applied to other classes of graphs built on alphabets including the hypercube, the Kautz graph,and the de Bruijn graph.

math.CO↗

arXiv2014

Analysis of first order systems for the solution of Laplace's equation

Kelner, Orecchia, Sidford, and Zhu have given a randomized iterative method for approximating the solution to the discrete Laplace equation that has expected running time nearly linear in the size of the problem. The goal of this note is to explain this algorithm in the language of difference operators on graphs.

math.CO↗

arXiv2013

Global communication algorithms for Cayley graphs

We discuss several combinatorial problems that arise when one looks at computational algorithms for highly symmetric networks of processors. More specifically, we are interested in minimal times associated with four communication tasks (defined more precisely below): universal broadcast, every processor has a vector that it wishes to broadcast to all the others; universal accumulation, every processor wishes to receive the sum of all the vectors being sent to it by all the other processors; universal exchange, every processor wishes to exchange a vector with each other processor; and global summation, every processor wants the sum of the vectors in all the processors

math.CO↗

arXiv2013

Characterization of worst-case GMRES

Given a matrix $A$ and iteration step $k$, we study a best possible attainable upper bound on the GMRES residual norm that does not depend on the initial vector $b$. This quantity is called the worst-case GMRES approximation. We show that the worst case behavior of GMRES for the matrices $A$ and $A^T$ is the same, and we analyze properties of initial vectors for which the worst-case residual norm is attained. In particular, we show that such vectors satisfy a certain "cross equality", and we characterize them as right singular vectors of the corresponding GMRES residual matrix. We show that the worst-case GMRES polynomial may not be uniquely determined, and we consider the relation between the worst-case and the ideal GMRES approximations, giving new examples in which the inequality between the two quantities is sharp at all iteration steps $k\geq 3$. Finally, we give a complete characterization of how the values of the approximation problems in the context of worst-case and ideal GMRES for a real matrix change, when one considers complex (rather than real) polynomials and initial vectors in these problems.

math.NA↗

arXiv2012

Livelock free routing schemes

We give a livelock free routing algorithm for any allowed network. Unlike some other solutions to this problem: 1) packets entering the network have an absolute upper bound on the time to reach their destination; 2) under light loads, packets are delivered to their destinations in nearly optimal time; 3) packets with desired paths far away from congested areas will have routing times far shorter than packets wanting to access congested areas; 4) if the network becomes congested and later clears, the network operates just as it would have when it was initially under a light load. The main ideas of this note appear in a different form in my 1994 patent 5,369,745. This note adds to those results and makes them more mathematical.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2012

Global sum on symmetric networks

We are interested in the following problem we call global sum. Each processor starts with a single real value. At each time step, every directed edge in the graph can simultaneously be used to transmit a single (bounded) number between the processors (vertices). How many time steps s are required to ensure that every processor acquires the global sum? We know that s is bounded below by the diameter and above by two times the diameter. We conjecture that for vertex symmetric graphs, s is equal to the diameter. We show this is true if the diameter is 2.

math.CO↗

arXiv2011

A Problem of W. R. Scott: Classify the Subgroup of Elements with Many Roots

Let G be an infinite group and let h and g be elements. We say that h is a root of g if some integer power of h is equal to g. We define K(G) to be the subgroup of all elements of G for which the number of elements which are not roots is of smaller cardinality than the cardinality of the group. That is, each element in K has almost every element in G as a root. This paper discusses the problem: When can K(G) be non-trivial?

math.CO↗

arXiv2000

The degree-diameter problem for several varieties of Cayley graphs, I: the Abelian case

We address the degree-diameter problem for Cayley graphs of Abelian groups (Abelian graphs), both directed and undirected. The problem turns out to be closely related to the problem of finding efficient lattice coverings of Euclidean space by shapes such as octahedra and tetrahedra; we exploit this relationship in both directions. In particular, we find the largest Abelian graphs with 2 generators (dimensions) and a given diameter. (The results for 2 generators are not new; they are given in the literature of distributed loop networks.) We find an undirected Abelian graph with 3 generators and a given diameter which we conjecture to be as large as possible; for the directed case, we obtain partial results, which lead to unusual lattice coverings of 3-space. We discuss the asymptotic behavior of the problem for large numbers of generators. The graphs obtained here are substantially better than traditional toroidal meshes, but, in the simpler undirected cases, retain certain desirable features such as good routing algorithms, easy constructibility, and the ability to host mesh-connected numerical algorithms without any increase in communication times.

math.CO↗

arXiv1995

Algebraic constructions of efficient broadcast networks

Cayley graph techniques are introduced for the problem of constructing networks having the maximum possible number of nodes, among networks that satisfy prescribed bounds on the parameters maximum node degree and broadcast diameter. The broadcast diameter of a network is the maximum time required for a message originating at a node of the network to be relayed to all other nodes, under the restriction that in a single time step any node can communicate with only one neighboring node. For many parameter values these algebraic methods yield the largest known constructions, improving on previous graph-theoretic approaches. It has previously been shown that hypercubes are optimal for degree $k$ and broadcast diameter $k$. A construction employing dihedral groups is shown to be optimal for degree $k$ and broadcast diameter $k+1$.

math.CO↗

arXiv1994

Inverting sets and the packing problem

Given a set $V$, a subset $S$, and a permutation $π$ of $V$, we say that $π$ permutes $S$ if $π(S) \cap S = \emptyset$. Given a collection $\cS = \{V; S_1,\ldots , S_m\}$, where $S_i \subseteq V ~~(i=1,\ldots ,m)$, we say that $\cS$ is invertible if there is a permutation $π$ of $V$ such that $π(S_i) \subseteq V-S_i$. In this paper, we present necessary and sufficient conditions for the invertibility of a collection and construct a polynomial algorithm which determines whether a given collection is invertible. For an arbitrary collection, we give a lower bound for the maximum number of sets that can be inverted. Finally, we consider the problem of constructing a collection of sets such that no sub-collection of size three is invertible. Our constructions of such collections come from solutions to the packing problem with unbounded block sizes. We prove several new lower and upper bounds for the packing problem and present a new explicit construction of packing.

math.CO↗

arXiv1994

Restricted routing and wide diameter of the cycle prefix network

The cycle prefix network is a Cayley coset digraph based on sequences over an alphabet which has been proposed as a vertex symmetric communication network. This network has been shown to have many remarkable communication properties such as a large number of vertices for a given degree and diameter, simple shortest path routing, Hamiltonicity, optimal connectivity, and others. These considerations for designing symmetric and directed interconnection networks are well justified in practice and have been widely recognized in the research community. Among the important properties of a good network, efficient routing is probably one of the most important. In this paper, we further study routing schemes in the cycle prefix network. We confirm an observation first made from computer experiments regarding the diameter change when certain links are removed in the original network, and we completely determine the wide diameter of the network. The wide diameter of a network is now perceived to be even more important than the diameter. We show by construction that the wide diameter of the cycle prefix network is very close to the ordinary diameter. This means that routing in parallel in this network costs little extra time compared to ordinary single path routing.

math.CO↗