Multipath subflow transmission scheduling optimization algorithm based on cost-performance balance

This article proposes a cost-performance balance algorithm for multipath data transmission within an Software Defined Network (SDN)-5G-Multipath Transmission Control Protocol (MPTCP) network framework. A unified communication interface is designed to schedule transmission paths, optimizing data flow allocation dynamically. To achieve a balance between network throughput and transmission costs, traffic volume and associated expenses are mapped into physical and virtual buffer queues for real-time substream updates. The relationship between unreceived subflows and consumption costs is mathematically modelled, with both parameters represented using vector matrices. Lyapunov stability theory is applied to determine the optimal cost-performance balance. In contrast, key evaluation metrics-including substream transmission efficiency, consumption expenditure, and overall balance control-are introduced to assess performance. Comparative analysis against classical price balance control algorithms demonstrates that the proposed strategy significantly enhances data transmission efficiency while reducing costs. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the model in achieving cost-performance balance control for multi-channel transmission of large-scale files (ranging from 2 to 20 GB) under varying network conditions. The findings highlight the potential of this approach for optimizing high-performance, cost-efficient data transmission in next-generation communication networks.