Hypercube message routing in the presence of faults

  • Authors:

  • Jesse M. Gordon;Quentin F. Stout

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA;Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

  • Venue:
  • C3P Proceedings of the third conference on Hypercube concurrent computers and applications: Architecture, software, computer systems, and general issues - Volume 1
  • Year:
  • 1988

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Abstract

We discuss the problem of routing messages on hypercubes which have faulty processors and/or communication links. We are motivated by the belief that simple algorithms, operating under simple assumptions, can ensure high probabilities of successful message routing. In this paper, we consider the basic problem of routing a single message from an arbitrary source to an arbitrary destination. In our study, a fault is assumed to render the processor or link non-functional for purposes of communicating messages. As such, we may also consider communications hot spots as node faults, and our results also apply to routing in congested hypercubes.A framework for the analysis of fault tolerant routing schemes on a hypercube is presented. This framework includes differing routing schemes, routing information models and fault distribution models. The a priori probabilities of successful routing of a single, indivisible message under each of our possible sets of assumptions are calculated. Using random routing, under the one-step local information routing model, we show that the a priori probability of successful message routing is high even for an exceedingly large number of faults. We also analyze the behavior of sidetracking, a routing method which combines the concepts of local information and randomization. Using sidetracking, and in the one-step local information routing model, a message will be routed forward using random routing. If the message reaches a blocked processor (no non-faulty neighbors along a minimal path to the destination) it will be sent to a non-faulty neighbor, chosen uniformly at random from the set of non-faulty neighbors. We use simulation experiments to determine the performance of this routing scheme, analyzing the probability of successful routing and the expected path length of a routed message. The empirical performance of the sidetracking algorithms indicates strongly that, in the limit as the cube dimension grows larger and for a fixed probability of node failure, the probability of successful message routing is 100%.