There is no single well-known recipe explaining how to design telecommunication networks. Therefore, modeling and comparing different approaches is very important before choosing the solution to be implemented. Network design models based on optimization theory are the ones most commonly encountered in the field, and this book teaches readers how to model different telecommunication networks with the help of optimization theory.

The book is divided into three parts. Part 1 serves as the introduction. Chapter 1 introduces the basic notions and concepts of network modeling and design by providing an analogy to airline networks, and explaining these concepts through simple examples. In chapter 2, the authors introduce and discuss the multi-commodity flow network notation used in the book. They illustrate the principles of building network models using representative examples, which are further developed in Parts 2 and 3. In chapter 3, a set of specific technology-related examples is presented, showing how to apply multi-commodity flow network modeling to selected networks.

Part 2 is devoted to the most common case of designing single-layer networks for the normal state, namely, when all resources are available and fully operative, and the demand is fixed. Chapter 4 presents various general multi-commodity flow network models, starting with simple examples, gradually extending them, and showing how different types of constraints and variables can be used to express different desired characteristics of the models. In chapter 5, the authors present various basic optimization approaches applicable to the design problems in chapter 4, and in subsequent chapters. They discuss linear programming, branch-and-bound and branch-and-cut for mixed integer programming, decomposition methods, stochastic meta-heuristics, and special methods for convex and concave problems. The remaining three chapters of Part 2 are devoted to three important classes of design models not considered in chapter 4. Each of these chapters develops relevant design models, and ap!plies optimization methods. Chapter 6 considers a class of design problems related to location and topological design that takes into account the installation cost of links and nodes. In chapter 7, the authors present material on designing networks with the open shortest path first (OSPF) type of routing, a recent Internet-related network design area. Another recent issue is studied in chapter 8, namely, that of fair networks with elastic traffic.

Part 3 (on advanced models) contains five chapters, and explains more complicated types of problems involving multi-state and multi-layer network modeling. Chapter 9 begins by discussing protection and restoration design problems in single-layer networks. Various problem formulations corresponding to different protection mechanisms, along with their applicability to different technologies, are also discussed. In chapter 10, the authors present solution methods, including decomposition methods and meta-heuristics, while in chapter 11 they discuss models for multi-hour and multi-period single-layer network design, together with selected algorithmic approaches. In chapters 12 and 13, the authors move to the next group of problems, related to the important issue of multi-layer modeling and the design of contemporary networks, including multi-layer restoration design for fair networks.

The book contains four useful appendices, each of value on its own, devoted respectively to the basics of optimization theory, the notion of computational complexity, shortest path algorithms, and the use of optimization tools. These are followed by a list of acronyms used throughout the book. Each chapter contains a list of exercises with different levels of difficulty; solutions to selected exercises are also included. An exhaustive list of referenced and related publications is included at the end of the book.

This is probably the most up-to-date and comprehensive collection of network design problems, methods, and algorithms, illustrated with extensive examples, and accompanied by the right amount of theoretical background and information on existing networking technologies. It is rather universal, and can be used either as a course book or as a reference manual. The book is a good choice for anyone studying, or actively working with, network design.