Resource allocation in networks: a case study of the influence model

The allocation of resources in networks is studied in the context of the influence model, a stochastic network model composed of interacting Markov chains. First, some new results regarding the influence model are presented. Next, a specific resource allocation problem is posed, and three different methods for allocating resource are described and analyzed. Both the structure of the resource allocation and the resulting behavior of the network are explored for each method. Finally, some more general insights about these resource allocation procedures are discussed.