03/01/1997 09:00 AM
Computer Engineering
A more efficient distance vector routing algorithm (EDVA) for computer networks is presented. EDVA is based on enhancements to two classes of distance vector algorithms, the path finding algorithms that report complete path information incrementally, and the diffusing update algorithm (DUAL) which is used in Cisco\'s Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) and is based on diffusing computations for internodal synchronization. EDVA operates by specifying a distance, a feasible distance, a predecessor and diffusing hops to each destination. This information is used together with diffusing computations of limited span to avoid routing-table loops. The correctness of EDVA is discussed. The benefits in EDVA compared with DUAL and path finding algorithms are illustrated with simple examples of its general cases. Briefly, the advantages of EDVA are reducing the routing converge time and the number of packets for routing information. Some parameters used in routing-table updates, the diffusing hop count in particular, can be adjusted based on the past information of the behaviors and topology of the network. This further improves EDVA\'s performance by allowing to adapt to the operational characteristics of the network.
