Solving large-scale SONET network design problems using bee-inspired algorithms

In the past years, the number of users of Internet-based applications has exponentially increased and consequently the request for transmission capacity or bandwidth has significantly augmented. When managed properly, the ring networks are uniquely suited to deliver a large amount of bandwidth in a reliable and inexpensive way. In this paper, we consider two problems that arise in the design of optical telecommunication networks, namely the SONET Ring Assignment Problem (SRAP) and the Intraring Synchronous Optical Network Design Problem (IDP), known to be NP-hard. In SRAP, the objective is to minimise the number of rings (i.e., DXCs). In IDP, the objective is to minimise the number of ADMs. Both problems are subject to a ring capacity constraint. To solve these problems, we propose two bee-inspired algorithms: Hybrid Artificial Bee Colony and Hybrid Bees Algorithm. We hybridise the basic form of these algorithms with local search, in order to refine newly constructed solutions. We also perform comparisons with other algorithms from the literature and use larger instances. The simulation results verify the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed algorithms.