On link harness optimization of embedded Ethernet networks

During the last decades, Ethernet progressively became the most widely used local area network (LAN) technology. It evolved from a bus topology to a micro-segmented network with full duplex links. Apart from LAN installations, Ethernet became also attractive for embedded application areas such as industrial, automotive, and avionics. In these areas, the connectivity between the nodes and the switches results in link harnesses. These harnesses can be bundled together and installed inside ducts. Since not all the links have the same endpoints, some full duplex links leave a duct at points referred to as junction points. In this paper, we propose a simulated annealing based algorithm to optimize the topology design of embedded Ethernet networks. This algorithm finds the (near-)optimal positions of a given number of switches and their connections to given nodes. When we take into account that links are organized into link harnesses and installed into ducts, we have to find also the number of junction points required as well as their optimal positions. For this purpose, we propose two algorithms. Finally, we compare the algorithms in terms of computation time and the quality of the obtained solution, and we highlight the cost benefits of bundling links and installing them into ducts.