Dr. Fernando Paganini: Optimization, Pricing and Control in Networks

Seminar: Optimization, Pricing and Control in Networks
Instructor: Prof. Dr. Fernando Paganini, Universidad ORT, Uruguay.
Location: Room 4.1F03, Telematics Department, Torres Quevedo Building, University Carlos III of Madrid, Avda. Universidad, 30, 28911 Leganes – Madrid
Dates: 9th –13th March, 2009
9th March: 15:00 – 17:00
10th, 11th, 12th: 18:00 – 20:00
13th: 15:00 – 19:00 (30 min. break)
Organization: NETCOM Research Group (Telematics Department, University Carlos III of Madrid, Spain); IMDEA Networks (Madrid, Spain)

The seminar will be conducted in English

Event description:

Optimization, Pricing and Control in Networks

Inthe last decade, a new theoretical foundation for quantitative networkresearch has emerged. Its key ingredients are the following: economicmodels to formulate network resource allocation as a convexoptimization problem; use of optimization methods to devisedecentralized solutions to these problems, in terms of dynamicadaptation of the relevant variables; tools of control theory tounderstand the dynamic properties of these methods. The resulting bodyof theory has been highly successful in providing models for TCPcongestion control, describing how local protocols should be designedto allow for interesting global properties to emerge. From here, recentresearch has advanced this methodology to other layers of the protocolstack. In this course we will provide an introduction to thisinterdisciplinary field of research.

Tentative outline:
Lecture1: Convex optimization and tools from economic theory.Convex functionsand sets, convex optimization problems. Duality. Elements ofmicroconomic theory, examples  from network resource allocation.
Lecture2: Dynamics and control. Lyapunov stability of differential equations.Feedback control loops, tools for stability analysis, effect offeedback delay. Examples from congestion control.
Lecture 3:Congestion control.  Formulation of the congestion control problem interms of utility maximization. Primal, dual, and primal-dual algorithmsand their stability. Application to modeling of current TCP.
Lecture4: TCP stability and delay, introduction to scalable protocols.Application of control theory tools for TCP stability Implications onprotocol design.
Lecture 5: Introduction to cross layeroptimization. Examples of joint resource allocation in multiple layersof the protocol hierarchy.

Contact Seminar Instructor: paganini@ort.edu.uy