Distributed Algorithms on Graphs: Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Distributed Algorithms, Ottawa, Canada, August 1985

191 Pages·6.672 MB·English

by  Eli Gafni, Nicola Santoro (editors)

l
UNIVERSITY PRESS
Ii:CARLEU
DISTRIBUTED ALGORITHMS ON GRAPHS
DISTRIBUTED ALGORITHMS
ON GRAPHS
Proceedings of the I" International Workshop on Distributed Algorithms
Ottawa, Canada, August 1985
edited by
Eli Gafni
Departmento f Computer Science
University of Californiaa t Los Angeles
Los Angeles, U.S.A.
and
Nicola Santoro
School of ComputerS cience
Carleton University
Ottawa, Canada
CARLETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
OTTAWA 1986.
©Carleton University Press Inc., 1986
ISBN # 0-88629-054-6
Printed and bound in Canada.
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
International Workshop on Distributed Algorithms
(Ist: 1985: Ottawa, Ont.)
Distributed algorithms on graphs
Includes index.
ISBN 0-88629-054-6
1. Electronic data processing Distributed
processing. 1. Gafni, Eli 11. Santoro,
Nicola, 1951 111. Title.
QA76.9.D5168 1985 004'.36 C87-090022-6
Distributed by:
Oxford University Press Canada
70 Wynford Drive,
DON MILLS, Ontario, Canada, M3C 1J9
[phone]
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Carleton University Press gratefully acknowledges the support extended to its publishing
programme by The Canada Council and the Ontario Arts Council.
The publication of this volume was assisted by a grant from the Ottawa-Carleton Research
Institute.
PREFACE
The contributions published in this book were presented at theInternational
Workshop on DistributedA lgorithms on Graphs held in Ottawa in August 1985. The
underlying themes of the workshop were distributed algorithms and communication
complexity.
In theoretical computer science, the research area known as design and analysis of
distributed algorithms is a newcomer. Despite (or, perhaps, because of) the area's
"youth", a considerable body of knowledge, sophistication and expertise has been
aquired in a relatively short period of time. Paralleling the expansion of the entire
distributed processing field, the area has been rapidly growing, and an impressive
volume of results has been obtained, as witnessed by the literally hundreds of paper
published in the last few years. This growth of interest in the theoretical aspects of
distributed computing is also reflected by the establishment of formal forums such as
the ACM annual conference on Principles of Distributed Computing and the new
journals specifically focusing on this field.
A main objective we had in organizing the workshop was to offer something
which cannot be found in those forums. Namely, we wanted to provide researchers on
distributed algorithms with an informal (and relaxed) environment where questions
and discussions would be allocated as much time as formal presentations (if not more);
where the emphasis would be not just on hearing about the latest results but also and
foremost on sharing techniques, problems, observations, intuitions (right or wrong);
on discussing the relevance of issues, and new directions for research; and, possibly,
having fun.
The workshop, in these respects, was successful. Animated discussions and
involved arguments definitely took the largest share of the time, and were wide
ranging in topics (from "bits or messages?" to "the need of informal proofs", to give
just a sample). And fun was had by most.
True to the maxim "verba volant, scripta manent", this book can only offer the
formal (i.e., written) contributions to the workshop; its aim is thus to be a vehicle for
reference and recollections to the participants, and a collection of valuable documents
to those who did not attend.
Organizing the workshop and editing the proceedings has not been the simple and
straightforward task which we had envisioned. Indeed, it would have been much
harder without the help, collaboration, and dedication of those who (have been)
volunteered to face some aspect of the task. In particular, we would like to sincerely
thank the members of the Distributed Computing Group, the staff and the students of
the School of Computer Science at Carleton University, and the editors of Carleton
University Press. A very special thanks is due to Marlene Wilson who was involved in
every aspect of this project, and whose contribution was determinant in making it
happen.
Finally, we gratefully acknowledge the financial help provided by the Office of the
President, the Faculty of Science, and the School of Computer Science of Carleton
University; by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; and
by the Ottawa-Carleton Research Institute which has also financially contributed to the
publication of these proceedings.
August 1986
Eli Gafni and Nicola Santoro
SPONSORS
Carleton University
-Distributed Computing Group
-School of Computer Science
Ottawa-Carleton Research Institute

CONTENTS
1. The bit complexity of probabilisticl eadere lection on a unidirectionalr ing 3
K. Abrahamson, A. Adler, R. Gelbart, L. Higram, and D. Kirkpatrick
2. Minimizing a virtual control token ring 13
S. A. Andreasson
3. New upperboundsf or decentralized extrema-finding in a ring of processors 27
H. L. Bodlaender, J. van Leeuwen
4. Efficient algorithmsf or routing information in a multicomputer system 41
Z. Drezner and A. Barak
5. Lower bounds on common knowledge in distributeda lgorithms 49
E. Gafni, M. C. Loui, P. Tiwari, D. B. West, and S. Zaks
6. Scheme for efficiency-performance measures of distributeda nd 69
parallela lgorithms
I. Lavallee and C. Lavault
7.* Distributed clock synchronization
K.D. Marzullo
8. Duplicater outing in distributed networks 103
A. Orda and R. Rom
9. Notes on distributeda lgorithms in unidirectionalr ings 115
J. K. Pachl and D. Rotem
10. Sense of direction and communication complexity in distributedn etworks 123
N. Santoro, J. Urrutia , and S. Zaks
11. The communication complexity hierarchy in distributed computing 133
J. B. Sidney and J. Urrutia
12. Simulation of chaotic algorithms by token algorithms 143
P. Tiwari, M. C. Loui
13. A general distributedg raph algorithmf orfair access to criticals ections 153
H. F. Wedde
ADDENDA
a. Open Problems 163
b. A bibliographyo f distributed algorithms 165
N. Santoro
c. AuthorIndex 189
(* paper not available at time of publication)