Machine Learning-Assisted Least Loaded Routing to Improve Performance of Circuit-Switched Networks

Abstract: The Least Loaded (LL) routing algorithm has been in recent decades the routing method of choice in circuit switched networks and therefore it provides a benchmark against which new methods can be compared. This paper improves the performance of the LL algorithm by additionally incorporating a machine learning approach, using a conceptually simple supervised na\"ive Bayes (NB) classifier. Based on a sequence of historical network snapshots, this predicts the potential future circuit blocking probability between each node pair. These snapshots are taken for each service request arriving to the network and record the number of busy capacity units on each link at that instant. The candidate route for serving a current service request is based on both the link loads and the potential future blocking probability of the entire network in case this route is indeed used. The performance of this proposed approach is studied via simulations and compared with both the conventional LL algorithm and the Shortest Path (SP) based approach. Results indicate that the proposed supervised na\"ive Bayes classifier-assisted LL routing algorithm significantly reduces blocking probability of service connection requests and outperforms both the conventional LL and SP routing algorithms. To enable the learning process based on a large number of network snapshots, we also develop a parallel computing framework to implement parallel learning and performance evaluation. Also, a network control system supporting na\"ive Bayes classifier-assisted LL routing algorithm is addressed.