Dynamic multicast routing algorithm for delay and delay variation-bounded Steiner tree problem

The delay and delay variation-bounded Steiner tree problem is an important problem in real-time multimedia networks, and is known to be NP-complete. In this paper, we propose an efficient heuristic multicast routing algorithm based on simulated annealing named SADDVMA to construct the constrained Steiner tree. To avoid enlargement of search area and increase of computing time, the proposed heuristic algorithm uses a procedure called Paths-switching to construct neighbors in feasible region according to the relationship between delay and delay variation. We also give a method to dynamically reorganize the multicast tree in response to changes for the destinations. Simulations demonstrate that our algorithm is better in terms of tree cost as compared to the existing algorithms. Further, it performs excellent performance of delay and delay variation, rapid convergence and better real-time property.