Techniques for generating a clustered representation of a network based on node data

摘要

An apparatus includes a communications component to receive a specified variable and one or more specified criteria to select a final clustered representation of a network, the specified criteria including a maximum degree of loss of information for the specified variable for the final clustered representation; and an iterative collapse component to perform iteration(s) of deriving the final clustered representation. Each iteration includes calculating the degree of loss from each possible combination of two linked nodes of a current clustered representation to generate a next clustered representation; selecting the possible combination associated with a smallest degree of loss; determining whether to cease iterations based on whether the smallest degree associated with the selected combination exceeds the maximum degree; effecting the selected combination if the smallest degree doesn't exceed the maximum degree; and selecting the current clustered representation as the final clustered representation if the smallest degree exceeds the maximum degree.