Keywords: quantum key distribution, metaheuristics, ant algorithm, elitist ant system, max-Min ant system, pathfinding
Application of elitist ant system and Max-Min ant system algorithms for path optimization in quantum key distribution networks
UDC 004.021
DOI: 10.26102/2310-6018/2025.48.1.012
This study focuses on route optimization in quantum key distribution (QKD) networks, whose features are a number of physical constraints and strong topology dependence. This paper examines the application of two variations of the ant colony algorithm, the elitist ant system (EAS) and Max-Min ant system (MMAS) algorithms, to construct optimal routes in QKD networks. A metric for the communication efficiency of a route in QKD networks has been presented to evaluate the quality of a route according to given capacity and security requirements. The peculiarity of this metric is its non-additive capacity component, which depends on the minimum link efficiency in the route. A series of experiments were conducted on a randomly generated planar graph for long and short routes with EAS and MMAS algorithms, which resulted in MMAS being significantly more efficient for long routes, but in the case of short routes, EAS found the route faster without significant loss in solution quality. The results obtained in this study can be applied in solving problems of dynamic routing, as well as optimization of the topology of quantum key distribution networks.
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Keywords: quantum key distribution, metaheuristics, ant algorithm, elitist ant system, max-Min ant system, pathfinding
For citation: Razdyakonov E.S., Korchagin S.A., Timoshenko A.V., Bulatov M.F. Application of elitist ant system and Max-Min ant system algorithms for path optimization in quantum key distribution networks. Modeling, Optimization and Information Technology. 2025;13(1). URL: https://moitvivt.ru/ru/journal/pdf?id=1792 DOI: 10.26102/2310-6018/2025.48.1.012 (In Russ).
Received 30.12.2024
Revised 24.01.2025
Accepted 29.01.2025