Bulletin
100, August 97
Selected Applications in Network
Design and Services
Hanan LUSS, AT&T
Labs, Holmdel, New Jersey 07733, USA
Monday, September
21, 9.30 - 11.00
Abstract
For decades, telecommunications
network design has been a fertile area for the application of operations
research. The basic network design problem, which consists of selecting
switch locations, links that connect these switches, and routing decisions
for each demand-pair, is inherently difficult. Variations of the basic
problem pose a variety of mathematical challenges that require ingenious
solution approaches for problems of realistic sizes. Furthermore, telecommunications
network technologies are evolving as we speak and broadband networks are
becoming a reality, imposing new challenges on the operations research
community. In this talk, we first characterize some of the important
issues that should be addressed by network design models. Some of these
issues are well-understood, while others have just begun to be addressed.
We then illustrate these issues through selected applications. Examples
include dynamic nonhierarchical routing and real-time routing in networks,
redesign of existing networks, SONET ring selection, and others.
In addition to the design
of the telecommunications networks themselves, operations research has
been applied to problems of efficiently delivering services that utilize
these networks. For example, many companies rely on conducting much of
their business (e.g., reservations, billing, customer care, etc.) through
call servicing centers. The demands imposed on these centers is quite erratic,
while good service needs to be provided throughout the day (and night).
We conclude this talk by describing some operations research applications
for call servicing centers.
Biographical Sketch
Hanan Luss is the
technical manager of the Operations Research Studies Group at AT&T
Labs. He received a B.Sc. in Industrial and Management Engineering and
an M.Sc. in Operations Research from the Technion - Israel Institute of
Technology, and has a Ph.D. in Operations Research from the University
of Pennsylvania. Hanan joined AT&T Bell Laboratories in 1973. He moved
in 1996, with his group, to the newly formed AT&T Labs. He has been
responsible for operations research methodology and applications with an
emphasis on telecommunications network design, telecommunications services,
and logistics (distribution, manufacturing and transportation). Hanan has
published over fifty papers on resource allocation; capacity expansion
and production planning; facility location, routing, and network design;
and other related topics. He has edited a special issue on optimization
for the AT&T Technical Journal, and has given numerous talks at professional
meetings and universities. Hanan is a member of INFORMS.
Dr. Hanan LUSS
Technical Manager OR Studies
AT&T Laboratories
Crawfords Corner Rd
Holmdel, NJ 07733-3030,
USA
Tel: +1 908-949-0651
Fax +1 908-834-5906
hluss@att.com
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