between computers, and a resulting paradigm shift from centralized to highly distributed systems. With massive scale also comes massive instability, as node and link failures become the norm rather than the exception. For such highly volatile systems, decentralized gossip-based protocols are emerging as an approach to maintaining simplicity and scalability while achieving fault-tolerant information dissemination.

We investigate the all-pairs shortest paths problem in weighted graphs. We present an algorithm---the Hidden Paths Algorithm---that finds these paths in time O(m* n+n² log n), where m is the number of edges participating in shortest paths. Our algorithm is a practical substitute for Dijkstra's algorithm. We argue that m* is likely to be small in practice, since m* = O(n log n) with high probability for many probability distributions on edge weights. We also prove an Ω(mn) lower bound on the running time of any path-comparison based algorithm for the all-pairs shortest paths problem. Path-comparison based algorithms form a natural class containing the Hidden Paths Algorithm, as well as the algorithms of Dijkstra and Floyd. Lastly, we consider generalized forms of the shortest paths problem, and show that many of the standard shortest paths algorithms are effective in this more general setting.

Abstract. This paper introduces a near-linear time sequential algorithm for constructing a sparse neighborhood cover. This implies analogous improvements (from quadratic to near-linear time) for any problem whose solution relies on network decompositions, including small edge cuts in planar graphs, approximate shortest paths, and weight- and distance-preserving graph spanners. In particular, an O(log n) approximation to the k-shortest paths problem on an n-vertex, E-edge graph is obtained that runs in Õ (n + E + k) time.

The quest for a linear-time single-source shortest-path (SSSP) algorithm on directed graphs with positive edge weights is an ongoing hot research topic. While Thorup recently found an O(n + m) time RAM algorithm for undirected graphs with n nodes, m edges and integer edge weights in f0; : : : ; 2 w 1g where w denotes the word length, the currently best time bound for directed sparse graphs on a RAM is O(n + m log log n). In the present paper we study the average-case complexity of SSSP. We give a simple algorithm for arbitrary directed graphs with random edge weights uniformly distributed in [0; 1] and show that it needs linear time O(n + m) with high probability. 1 Introduction The single-source shortest-path problem (SSSP) is a fundamental and well-studied combinatorial optimization problem with many practical and theoretical applications [1]. Let G = (V; E) be a directed graph, jV j = n, jEj = m, let s be a distinguished vertex of the graph, and c be a function assigning a n...

Social studies researchers use graphs to model group activities in social networks. An important property in this context is the centrality of a vertex: the inverse of the average distance to each other vertex. We describe a randomized approximation algorithm for centrality in weighted graphs. For graphs exhibiting the small world phenomenon, our method estimates the centrality of all vertices with high probability within a (1 + #) factor in near-linear time. 1 Introduction In social network analysis, the vertices of a graph represent agents in a group and the edges represent relationships, such as communication or friendship. The idea of applying graph theory to analyze the connection between the structural centrality and group process was introduced by Bavelas [4]. Various measurement of centrality [7, 14, 15] have been proposed for analyzing communication activity, control, or independence within a social network. We are particularly interested in closeness centrality [5, 6, 24]...

Abstract — This paper investigates the dissemination of multiple pieces of information in large networks where users contact each other in a random uncoordinated manner, and users upload one piece per unit time. The underlying motivation is the design and analysis of piece selection protocols for peer-to-peer networks which disseminate files by dividing them into pieces. We first investigate one-sided protocols, where piece selection is based on the states of either the transmitter or the receiver. We show that any such protocol relying only on pushes, or alternatively only on pulls, will be inefficient in disseminating all pieces to all users. We propose a hybrid one-sided piece selection protocol – INTERLEAVE – and show that by using both pushes and pulls it disseminates k pieces from a single source to n users in 10(k + log n) time, while obeying the constraint that each user can upload at most one piece in one unit of time. An optimal, unrealistic centralized protocol would take k+log 2 n time in this setting. Moreover, efficient dissemination is also possible if the source implements forward erasure coding, and users push the latest-released coded pieces (but do not pull). We also investigate two-sided protocols where piece selection is based on the states of both the trasmitter and the receiver. We show that it is possible to disseminate n pieces to n users in n + O(log n) time, starting from an initial state where each user has a unique piece. I.

The single source shortest path (SSSP) problem lacks parallel solutions which are fast and simultaneously work-efficient. We propose simple criteria which divide Dijkstra's sequential SSSP algorithm into a number of phases, such that the operations within a phase can be done in parallel. We give a PRAM algorithm based on these criteria and analyze its performance on random digraphs with random edge weights uniformly distributed in [0, 1]. We use

The theory of random graphs has been mainly concerned with structural properties, in particular the most likely values of various graph invariants -- see Bollob`as [21]. There has been increasing interest in using random graphs as models for the average case analysis of graph algorithms. In this paper we survey some of the results in this area. 1 Introduction The theory of random graphs as initiated by Erdos and R'enyi [52] and developed along with others, has been mainly concerned with structural properties, in particular the most likely values of various graph invariantss -- see Bollob`as [21]. There has been increasing interest in using random graphs as models for the average case analysis of graph algorithms. We would like in this paper to survey some of the results in this area. We hope to be fairly comprehensive in terms of the areas we tackle and so depth will be sacrificed in favour of breadth. One attractive feature of average case analysis is that it banishes the pessimism o...

A new class of gossip protocols is presented to diffuse updates securely. The protocols rely on annotating updates with the path along which they travel. To avoid a combinatorial explosion in the number of such annotated updates, rules are employed to choose which updates to keep. Different sets of rules lead to different protocols. Results of simulated executions of a collection of such protocols are described the protocols would appear to be practical, even in large networks.

Abstract—The problem of computing functions of values at the nodes in a network in a fully distributed manner, where nodes do not have unique identities and make decisions based only on local information, has applications in sensor, peer-to-peer, and adhoc networks. The task of computing separable functions, which can be written as linear combinations of functions of individual variables, is studied in this context. Known iterative algorithms for averaging can be used to compute the normalized values of such functions, but these algorithms do not extend in general to the computation of the actual values of separable functions. The main contribution of this paper is the design of a distributed randomized algorithm for computing separable functions. The running time of the algorithm is shown to depend on the running time of a minimum computation algorithm used as a subroutine. Using a randomized gossip mechanism for minimum computation as the subroutine yields a complete fully distributed algorithm for computing separable functions. For a class of graphs with small spectral gap, such as grid graphs, the time used by the algorithm to compute averages is of a smaller order than the time required by a known iterative averaging scheme. Index Terms—Data aggregation, distributed algorithms, gossip algorithms, randomized algorithms. I.