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Resource Augmentation in Load Balancing

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Algorithm Theory - SWAT 2000 (SWAT 2000)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1851))

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Abstract

We consider load balancing in the following setting. The online algorithm is allowed to use n machines, whereas the optimal off-line algorithm is limited to m machines, for some fixed m < n. We show that while the greedy algorithm has a competitive ratio which decays linearly in the inverse of n/m, the best on-line algorithm has a ratio which decays exponentially in n/m. Specifically, we give an algorithm with competitive ratio of 1 + 1/2n/m(1-0(1)), and a lower bound of 1 + 1/en/m(1+o(1)) on the competitive ratio of any randomized algorithm.

We also consider the preemptive case. We show an on-line algorithm with a competitive ratio of 1 + 1/en/m(1+o(1)). We show that the algorithm is optimal by proving a matching lower bound.

We also consider the non-preemptive model with temporary tasks. We prove that for n=m + 1, the greedy algorithm is optimal. (It is not optimal for permanent tasks).

Research supported in part by the Israel Science Foundation and by the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF).

Part of the research was done while this author was visiting the Centre for Mathematics and Computer Science (CWI), supported by a grant from the Netherlands Organization of Scientific Research.

Research supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), project number SION 612-30-002.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Computer Science, Tel-Aviv University, USA

    Yossi Azar & Leah Epstein

  2. Centre for Mathematics and Computer Science (CWI), USA

    Rob van Stee

Authors
  1. Yossi Azar
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  2. Leah Epstein
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  3. Rob van Stee
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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Azar, Y., Epstein, L., van Stee, R. (2000). Resource Augmentation in Load Balancing. In: Algorithm Theory - SWAT 2000. SWAT 2000. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1851. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44985-X_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44985-X_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-67690-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-44985-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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