Abstract:
Resource allocation in ad hoc communication networks is a
field of high complexity because of both i) the distributed nature of the
interactions between the nodes, and ii) the large set of control variables
for even the most primitive networks. Visual representation of this information
across physical space and across layers of the network can greatly
benefit the understanding of efficient allocation policies in these complex
systems. Yet, very few software packages have been developed to address
specifically this task, especially for large scale networks. We develop such
a software system, and demonstrate some of its capabilities. The system
illustrates that multi-layered visualization of the network state can be
an effective tool at making network design decisions even in the face of
uncertainty and for a large number of network interactions.