Linear network coding

In <a href="/facts/Computer_networking/3w5RM99p">computer networking</a>, linear network coding is a program in which intermediate nodes transmit data from source nodes to sink nodes by means of <a href="/facts/Linear_combination/CVjL6kuN">linear combinations</a>.
Linear network coding may be used to improve a network's throughput, efficiency, and <a href="/facts/Scalability/jh7JomPa">scalability</a>, as well as reducing attacks and eavesdropping. The <a href="/facts/Node_(networking)/LBp2vNcJ">nodes</a> of a network take several packets and combine for transmission. This process may be used to attain the maximum possible <a href="/facts/Information/3LdrzXtJ">information</a> <a href="/facts/Flow_network/k0LCoRwD">flow</a> in a <a href="/facts/Network_theory/m6CQovwm">network</a>.
It has been proven that, theoretically, <a href="/facts/Linear_code/HoFI3eyF">linear coding</a> is enough to achieve the upper bound in multicast problems with one source. However linear coding is not sufficient in general; even for more general versions of linearity such as <a href="/facts/Convolutional_coding/HMCDdEGx">convolutional coding</a> and filter-bank coding. Finding optimal coding solutions for general network problems with arbitrary demands is a hard problem, which can be <a href="/facts/NP-hard/mQeNPv4R">NP-hard</a>
and even <a href="/facts/Undecidable_problem/QBxmXBbY">undecidable</a>.

Linear network coding open-in-new

Linear network coding