Sequential information dissemination by packets
Ann D. Bagchi, Edward F. Schmeichel, S. L. Hakimi · Networks · 1992
Abstract Consider a network consisting of units and links that connect pairs of units. Suppose each of the units possesses a unique message that is to be received by all other units. This is called gossiping. A related problem is that of census taking in which a particular unit has to receive every other unit's message. We study gossiping and census taking in a network in which the units communicate by transmitting packets of a fixed size, so that only a bounded number of messages can be sent in a single transmission. We also discuss the complexity of gossiping when the messages are of different sizes.