Minimizing Network Coding Nodes in Multicast Tree Construction via Genetic Algorithm

Network coding is a method that increases network throughput by encoding several packets with single packet size length and forwards the packet in a single transmission time slot. At the same time, network coding increases the complexity of packets management and delay of network due to the waiting time for network coding opportunity. A solution based on improved genetic algorithm is proposed to optimize the network coding node resources in network coding. Genetic algorithm will search a multicast tree that fulfils the desired throughput with a desired multicast rate. Mutation rate of the genetic algorithm will change based on the previous solution to avoid from being stuck on the local optima. The simulation result shows that with given multicast rate, improved genetic algorithm is able to search and construct multicast tree with minimal usage of network coding nodes.