computer science

MENTOR routing algorithm

MENTOR routing algorithm is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand MENTOR routing algorithm rather than just read about it. In short: The MENTOR routing algorithm is an algorithm for use in routing of mesh networks, specifically pertaining to their initial topology. It was developed in 1991 by Aaron Kershenbaum, Parviz Kermani, and George A.

Key takeaways

MENTOR routing algorithm belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect MENTOR routing algorithm to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of MENTOR routing algorithm from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The MENTOR routing algorithm is an algorithm for use in routing of mesh networks, specifically pertaining to their initial topology. It was developed in 1991 by Aaron Kershenbaum, Parviz Kermani, and George A. Grove and was published by the IEEE.

Complexity Empirical observation has shown the complexity class of this algorithm to be O(N²), or quadratic. This represents "a significant improvement over currently used algorithms, [while still yielding] solutions of a quality competitive with other, much slower procedures."

Methodology The algorithm assumes three things are conducive to low-"cost" (that is, minimal in distance travelled and time between destinations) topology: that paths will tend to be direct, not circuitous; that links will have a "high utilization"—that is, they will be used to nearly their maximum operating capacity; and that "long, high-capacity links [will be used] whenever possible."

The overall plan is to send traffic over a direct route between the source and destination whenever the magnitude of the requirement is sufficiently large and to send it via a path within a tree in all other cases. In the former case, we are satisfying all three of our goals--we are using a direct path of high utilization and high capacity. In the latter case we are satisfying at least the last two objectives as we are aggregating traffic as much as possible. The minimum spanning tree on which traffic flows in the latter case is heuristically defined by Dijkstra's algorithm and Prim's algorithm.

References

Aaron Kershenbaum, Parviz Kermani, George A. Grover. "MENTOR: An Algorithm for Mesh Network Topological Optimization and Routing", IEEE Transactions on Communications, April 1991. Accessed November 4, 2007.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with MENTOR routing algorithm

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what MENTOR routing algorithm claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to MENTOR routing algorithm before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about MENTOR routing algorithm ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of MENTOR routing algorithm

In research: MENTOR routing algorithm appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses MENTOR routing algorithm in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: MENTOR routing algorithm is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer network stubs, Mesh networking, Routing algorithms, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for MENTOR routing algorithm outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study MENTOR routing algorithm in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what MENTOR routing algorithm means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain MENTOR routing algorithm out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is MENTOR routing algorithm in simple terms?

Why does MENTOR routing algorithm matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study MENTOR routing algorithm?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on MENTOR routing algorithm.