Hardware configuration for StarLAN 10 local area networks: An application of integer programming

A StarLAN 10 local area network interconnects computers and printers at 10Mbs/sec using twisted pair wise, optical fiber, or coaxial cable media. StarLAN 10 networks consist of one or more closets containing hubs, which regenerate and retime the information, and adapters, which convert from one medium to another. The paper applies integer programming to the closet design problem of selecting the number and type of hubs and adapters to minimize cost, subject to several engineering and logical constraints. The results are compared to designs produced by the Network Designer’s WorkBench (NDWB) StarLAN Configurator, a technical sales support tool used by the AT&T sales force today. The comparisons indicate how the current heuristics in the NDWB can be improved to produce lower cost designs.