Unbounded lower bound for k-server against weak adversaries

Abstract

We study the resource augmented version of the $k$-server problem, also known as the $k$-server problem against weak adversaries or the $(h,k)$-server problem. In this setting, an online algorithm using $k$ servers is compared to an offline algorithm using $h$ servers, where $h\le k$. For uniform metrics, it has been known since the seminal work of Sleator and Tarjan (1985) that for any $\epsilon >0$, the competitive ratio drops to a constant if $k=(1+\epsilon )\cdot h$. This result was later generalized to weighted stars (Young 1994) and trees of bounded depth (Bansal et al. 2017). The main open problem for this setting is whether a similar phenomenon occurs on general metrics. We resolve this question negatively. With a simple recursive construction, we show that the competitive ratio is at least $\Omega (\log \log h)$, even as $k\to \infty$. Our lower bound holds for both deterministic and randomized algorithms. It also disproves the existence of a competitive algorithm for the infinite server problem on general metrics.

To appear in STOC 2020