Need to efficiently distribute information across a network? This paper surveys algorithms and complexity results for the multimessage multicasting problem, presenting a unified notation for its variations. It gives an overview that's useful for those in computer science. The primary findings apply to complete networks and pr-networks, focusing on multistage interconnection networks capable of realizing all permutations in a single communication phase and replicating data on each switch. The study explores algorithms for message forwarding and distributed algorithms that rely on local information. This paper examines diverse applications where the multimessage multicasting problem naturally arises, providing insights valuable for network design, parallel computing, and distributed systems.
Appearing in the International Journal of Foundations of Computer Science, this paper corresponds with the journal’s dedication to theoretical computer science and algorithmic solutions. The exploration of the multimessage multicasting problem and its variations furthers the journal’s goals of publishing cutting-edge research in computational complexity and efficient algorithm design.