A genetic algorithm for Steiner tree optimization with multiple constraints using Prufer number

The bandwidth-delay-constrained least-cost multicast routing is a challenging problem in high-speed multimedia networks. Computing such a constrained Steiner tree is an NP-complete problem. In this paper, we propose a novel QoS-based multicast routing algorithm based on the genetic algorithms (GA). In the proposed method, Prufer number is used for genotype representation. Some novel heuristic algorithms are also proposed for mutation, crossover, and creation of random individuals. We evaluate the performance and efficiency of the proposed GA-based algorithm in comparison with other existing heuristic and GA-based algorithms by the result of simulation. This proposed algorithm has overcome all of the previous algorithms in the literatures.