The Combinatorics of Network Reliability (International Series of Monographs on Computer Science)

This book develops combinatorial tools which are useful for reliability analysis, as demonstrated with a probabilistic network model. Basic results in combinatorial enumeration are reviewed, along with classical theorems on connectivity and cutsets. More developed analysis involves extremal set theory, matroid theory, and polyhedral combinatorics, among other themes. The presentation includes proofs or their outlines for most of the main theorems, with the aim of highlighting combinatorial ideas. Details of relevant work are presented wherever feasible. The work is intended for advanced mathematics students and computer science specialists.