Abstract:As an infrastructure for data distribution, overlay networks must incorporate efficient routing and adequate robustness in order to achieve fast and accurate data distribution in an environment with a high node churn. Considering that the existing overlay networks mostly focus on a single optimization objective and fail to ensure routing efficiency and robustness. Simultaneously, a hybrid overlay network for data distribution, Laurel, is proposed in this paper. Laurel achieves a better trade-off between routing efficiency and robustness by combining the inter-cluster multiple structured topologies with the intra-cluster unstructured topologies. Laurel also provides mechanisms for a dynamic, concurrent cluster creation, cluster departure, and load balance to make data distribution more adaptive to the dynamic network environment. Experimental results show that compared with existing overlay networks, Laurel can support faster and more accurate data distribution, even when a large amount of nodes fail in the system and balance the load within clusters.