License: 
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (CC BY 3.0)
When quoting this document, please refer to the following
DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.ICALP.2018.156
URN: urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-91602
URL: http://dagstuhl.sunsite.rwth-aachen.de/volltexte/2018/9160/
Kowalski, Dariusz R. ;
Mosteiro, Miguel A.
Polynomial Counting in Anonymous Dynamic Networks with Applications to Anonymous Dynamic Algebraic Computations
Abstract
Starting with Michail, Chatzigiannakis, and Spirakis work [Michail et al., 2013], the problem of Counting the number of nodes in {Anonymous Dynamic Networks} has attracted a lot of attention. The problem is challenging because nodes are indistinguishable (they lack identifiers and execute the same program) and the topology may change arbitrarily from round to round of communication, as long as the network is connected in each round. The problem is central in distributed computing as the number of participants is frequently needed to make important decisions, such as termination, agreement, synchronization, and many others. A variety of algorithms built on top of mass-distribution techniques have been presented, analyzed, and also experimentally evaluated; some of them assumed additional knowledge of network characteristics, such as bounded degree or given upper bound on the network size. However, the question of whether Counting can be solved deterministically in sub-exponential time remained open. In this work, we answer this question positively by presenting Methodical Counting, which runs in polynomial time and requires no knowledge of network characteristics. Moreover, we also show how to extend Methodical Counting to compute the sum of input values and more complex functions without extra cost. Our analysis leverages previous work on random walks in evolving graphs, combined with carefully chosen alarms in the algorithm that control the process and its parameters. To the best of our knowledge, our Counting algorithm and its extensions to other algebraic and Boolean functions are the first that can be implemented in practice with worst-case guarantees.
BibTeX - Entry
@InProceedings{kowalski_et_al:LIPIcs:2018:9160,
author = {Dariusz R. Kowalski and Miguel A. Mosteiro},
title = {{Polynomial Counting in Anonymous Dynamic Networks with Applications to Anonymous Dynamic Algebraic Computations}},
booktitle = {45th International Colloquium on Automata, Languages, and Programming (ICALP 2018)},
pages = {156:1--156:14},
series = {Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
ISBN = {978-3-95977-076-7},
ISSN = {1868-8969},
year = {2018},
volume = {107},
editor = {Ioannis Chatzigiannakis and Christos Kaklamanis and D{\'a}niel Marx and Donald Sannella},
publisher = {Schloss Dagstuhl--Leibniz-Zentrum fuer Informatik},
address = {Dagstuhl, Germany},
URL = {http://drops.dagstuhl.de/opus/volltexte/2018/9160},
URN = {urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-91602},
doi = {10.4230/LIPIcs.ICALP.2018.156},
annote = {Keywords: Anonymous Dynamic Networks, Counting, Boolean functions, distributed algorithms, deterministic algorithms}
}
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Keywords: |
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Anonymous Dynamic Networks, Counting, Boolean functions, distributed algorithms, deterministic algorithms |
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Collection: |
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45th International Colloquium on Automata, Languages, and Programming (ICALP 2018) |
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Issue Date: |
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2018 |
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Date of publication: |
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04.07.2018 |
