METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR NETWORK TOPOLOGY UPDATING USING TOPOLOGY PERTURBATION

摘要

A method for configuring a communication network includes the steps of (a) identifying (132) a given network configuration having a given network topology based on arcs having associated administrative routing weights and including a number of given shortest paths, (b) generating (133.2) at least one neighbouring configuration by producing in the network topology a perturbation leaving said administrative routing weights unaffected and wherein the majority of the shortest paths in the neighbouring configuration are comprised of shortest paths from said number left unaffected by said perturbation and combinations of shortest paths from said number, (c) evaluating (131, 133.5, 133.6) the neighbouring configuration against the given configuration based on a given cost function, whereby said evaluation involves only the portion of said network topology affected by said perturbation, and (d) substituting (133.8, 133.10) the neighbouring configuration for the given configuration if said the neighbouring configuration is found to represent an improvement over the given configuration based on said cost function.