Optimizing the Gossip Algorithm with Non-Uniform Clock Distribution over Classical & Quantum Networks

Abstract: Distributed gossip algorithm has been studied in literature for practical implementation of the distributed consensus algorithm as a fundamental algorithm for the purpose of in-network collaborative processing. This paper focuses on optimizing the convergence rate of the gossip algorithm for both classical and quantum networks. A novel model of the gossip algorithm with non-uniform clock distribution is proposed which can reach the optimal convergence rate of the continuous-time consensus algorithm. It is described that how the non-uniform clock distribution is achievable by modifying the rate of the Poisson process modeling the clock of the gossip algorithm. The minimization problem for optimizing the asymptotic convergence rate of the proposed gossip algorithm and its corresponding semidefinite programming formulation is addressed analytically. It is shown that the optimal results obtained for uniform clock distribution are suboptimal compared to those of the non-uniform one and for non-uniform distribution the optimal answer is not unique i.e. there is more than one set of probabilities that can achieve the optimal convergence rate. Based on the optimal continuous-time consensus algorithm and the detailed balance property, an effective method of obtaining one of these optimal answers is proposed. Regarding quantum gossip algorithm, by expanding the density matrix in terms of the generalized Gell-Mann matrices, the evolution equation of the quantum gossip algorithm is transformed to the state update equation of the classical gossip algorithm. By defining the quantum gossip operator, the original optimization problem is formulated as a convex optimization problem, which can be addressed by semidefinite programming.