A specially structured nonlinear integer resource allocation problem

We present an algorithm for solving a specially structured nonlinear integer resource allocation problem. This problem was motivated by a capacity planning study done at a large Health Maintenance Organization in Texas. Specifically, we focus on a class of nonlinear resource allocation problems that involve the minimization of a convex function over one general convex constraint, a set of block diagonal convex constraints, and bounds on the integer variables. The continuous variable problem is also considered. The continuous problem is solved by taking advantage of the structure of the Karush‐Kuhn‐Tucker (KKT) conditions. This method for solving the continuous problem is then incorporated in a branch and bound algorithm to solve the integer problem. Various reoptimization results, multiplier bounding results, and heuristics are used to improve the efficiency of the algorithms. We show how the algorithms can be extended to obtain a globally optimal solution to the nonconvex version of the problem. We further show that the methods can be applied to problems in production planning and financial optimization. Extensive computational testing of the algorithms is reported for a variety of applications on continuous problems with up to 1,000,000 variables and integer problems with up to 1000 variables. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 50: 770–792, 2003.     

高校女教工是和谐校园建设的生力军

和谐社会建设是开创中国特色社会主义事业新局面的一项重大任务,体现了包括妇女在内的广大人民群众的根本利益和共同愿望。如何充分发挥高校女教工在教学科研及婚姻家庭等各方面的自身优势,为构建和谐校园做出贡献是高校工会组织需要特别关注的新课题。     

关于加强装备信息资源建设的对策研究

装备信息资源作为军队信息资源的重要组成部分,是打赢信息化战争和装备信息化建设不可或缺的战略资源。论述了装备信息资源建设的地位作用、顶层设计、基础工程、重点难点和运行机制等,提出了加强和推进军队装备信息资源建设的基本对策和措施。     

云计算系统虚拟机内存资源预留方法

为降低消费者租借云计算系统资源的开销,提出了成本约束的内存预留随机整数线性规划模型及方法。结合预留计划和按需计划的内存资源价格,设计包含成本及资源总量约束条件的随机开销函数,并以函数期望值最小化为目标,基于内存消耗量概率分布求出优化的内存预留量。试验表明,消费者利用该方法租借资源的开销比利用预留计划、按需计划及同类方法租借资源的开销更小。     

基于XML／RDF的油料装备模块化协同设计网格主体资源表达

针对协同设计网格中油料装备模块化协同设计主体资源规范化表达问题,提出按照模块设计能力划分油料装备模块化协同设计主体资源的分类体系,给出油料装备模块化协同设计主体资源的信息描述模型。在此基础上,采用元数据完成了油料装备模块化协同设计主体资源描述的元数据集的定义,并采用可扩展的资源描述框架RDF实现了元数据集的描述,规范了具有值域要求属性的赋值空间,给出了基于元数据集的油料装备模块化协同设计主体资源的RDF描述方法,解决了协同设计网格中统一完整和无二义性地描述资源对象的问题,并提出了利用资源表达向导的策略,规范和简化了资源主体的资源表达。     

装备维修管理系统的设计与实现

装备维修管理系统是一种新型维修管理模式,为解决现代装备协同维修过程中资源优化调度和分配的各类问题,从装备维修保障系统的需求分析入手,讨论了基于改进遗传算法的维修资源配置算法,并采用建模与仿真技术,设计实现了装备维修管理系统。     

Optimal resource allocation and redistribution strategy in military conflicts with Lanchester square law attrition

We address the problem of optimal decision‐making in conflicts based on Lanchester square law attrition model where a defending force needs to be partitioned optimally, and allocated to two different attacking forces of differing strengths and capabilities. We consider a resource allocation scheme called the Time Zero Allocation with Redistribution (TZAR) strategy, where allocation is followed by redistribution of defending forces, on the occurrence of certain decisive events. Unlike previous work on Lanchester attrition model based tactical decision‐making, which propose time sequential tactics through an optimal control approach, the present article focuses on obtaining simpler resource allocation tactics based on a static optimization framework, and demonstrates that the results obtained are similar to those obtained by the more complex dynamic optimal control solution. Complete solution for this strategy is obtained for optimal partitioning of resources of the defending forces. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2008     

Equitable bandwidth allocation in content distribution networks

Applications for content distribution over networks, such as Video‐on‐Demand (VOD), are expected to grow significantly over time. Effective bandwidth allocation schemes that can be repeatedly executed must be deployed since new programs are often installed at various servers while other are deleted. We present a model for bandwidth allocation in a content distribution network that consists of multiple trees, where the root of each tree has a server that broadcasts multiple programs throughout the tree. Each network link has limited capacity and may be used by one or more of these trees. The model is formulated as an equitable resource allocation problem with a lexicographic maximin objective function that attempts to provide equitable service performance for all requested programs at the various nodes. The constraints include link capacity constraints and tree‐like ordering constraints imposed on each of the programs. We present an algorithm that provides an equitable solution in polynomial time for certain performance functions. At each iteration, the algorithm solves single‐link maximin optimization problems while relaxing the ordering constraints. The algorithm selects a bottleneck link, fixes various variables at their lexicographic optimal solution while enforcing the ordering constraints, and proceeds with the next iteration. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2010     

Revenue management with aircraft reassignment flexibility

A well‐studied problem in airline revenue management is the optimal allocation of seat inventory among different fare‐classes, given a capacity for the flight and a demand distribution for each class. In practice, capacity on a flight does not have to be fixed; airlines can exercise some flexibility on the supply side by swapping aircraft of different capacities between flights as partial booking information is gathered. This provides the airline with the capability to more effectively match their supply and demand. In this paper, we study the seat inventory control problem considering the aircraft swapping option. For theoretical and practical purposes, we restrict our attention to the class of booking limit policies. Our analytical results demonstrate that booking limits considering the swapping option can be considerably different from those under fixed capacity. We also show that principles on the relationship between the optimal booking limits and demand characteristics (size and risk) developed for the fixed‐capacity problem no longer hold when swapping is an option. We develop new principles and insights on how demand characteristics affect the optimal booking limits under the swapping possibility. We also develop an easy to implement heuristic for determining the booking limits under the swapping option and show, through a numerical study, that the heuristic generates revenues close to those under the optimal booking limits. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2011     

Bounded flexibility in days‐on and days‐off scheduling

This article presents a flexible days‐on and days‐off scheduling problem and develops an exact branch and price (B&P) algorithm to find solutions. The main objective is to minimize the size of the total workforce required to cover time‐varying demand over a planning horizon that may extend up to 12 weeks. A new aspect of the problem is the general restriction that the number of consecutive days on and the number of consecutive days off must each fall within a predefined range. Moreover, the total assignment of working days in the planning horizon cannot exceed some maximum value. In the B&P framework, the master problem is stated as a set covering‐type problem whose columns are generated iteratively by solving one of three different subproblems. The first is an implicit model, the second is a resource constrained shortest path problem, and the third is a dynamic program. Computational experiments using both real‐word and randomly generated data show that workforce reductions up to 66% are possible with highly flexible days‐on and days‐off patterns. When evaluating the performance of the three subproblems, it was found that each yielded equivalent solutions but the dynamic program proved to be significantly more efficient. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 60: 678–701, 2013