Avoiding name resolution loops and duplications in group communications

Abstract

This paper generalizes group communications into nested groups for the internet environment. By using a name graph model, two problems in nested group name resolution are identified — resolution loops and resolution duplications. Existing approaches of solving these problems are surveyed and their shortcomings analyzed. The research contribution of this paper is the design and analysis of an algorithm which uses statically saved topology information of the name graph to detect and handle resolution and duplication loops at the time when group membership and/or group structure change. While preserving some necessary properties of loops, the algorithm transforms the name graph into one which avoids resolution loops and controls duplications. The communication complexity of the algorithm has an upper bound of O(|A|) in the worst case, where |A| is the number of arcs in the name graph.