A Survey of Algorithms for Separable Convex Optimization with Linear Ascending Constraints

Abstract: The paper considers the minimization of a separable convex function subject to linear ascending constraints. The problem arises as the core optimization in several resource allocation scenarios, and is a special case of an optimization of a separable convex function over the bases of a polymatroid with a certain structure. The paper presents a survey of state-of-the-art algorithms that solve this optimization problem. The algorithms are applicable to the class of separable convex objective functions that need not be smooth or strictly convex. When the objective function is a so-called $d$-separable function, a simpler linear time algorithm solves the problem.