Grouping Algorithms for Optimal Configuration of Virtual Links in AFDX

Virtual links (VLs) are isolated data tunnels used in Avionics Full Duplex Switched Ethernet (AFDX) to route Ethernet frames. Each VL is allocated the dedicated bandwidth, ensuring reliable communication under adverse conditions. Proper VL configuration can reduce bandwidth consumption by assigning appropriate message flows and setting parameters like maximum transfer unit (MTU) and bandwidth allocation gap (BAG). Previous studies often assume messages with the same source and destination share the same VL, leading to bandwidth waste. This paper presents DP-based grouping algorithm (DPGA) for low-bandwidth systems and traversal top-down algorithm (TTDA) for systems with large number of messages, to enhance bandwidth utilization. Validated on a real dataset, DPGA reduces bandwidth by 19.9% for small-scale messages, and TTDA by 24.7% for large-scale messages compared with a single VL approach. Our methods handle larger message scales and significantly reduce network bandwidth usage compared with previous work.