A General Interface for Distributed and Sequential Simulated Annealing

In this paper we describe a generic interface for simulated annealing programs using C++ and EcliPSe (for distributed versions). We have tested such interface by building software for six applications. We have run the simulations using the following approaches: Serial, Replication, Combined Chains, and a generic approach suggested by [1] that we refer as a Subchaining method. Results have been collected for all these approaches and new ideas and modifications of these methods have been discussed and tested. One of the main goals has been to reduce the programming load of the end user to the development of three functions. We have also used a design that minimizes the required modifications when going from the serial version to the distributed versions; only the addition of two communication functions is required in this case. Keywords: Simulated Annealing, Statistical Cooling, Distributed Processing, Optimization. 1 Introduction Nowadays, every science is plagued with optimization pro..