Using a Mathematical Programming Modeling Language for Optimal CTA

Abstract

Minimum-distance controlled tabular adjustment methods (CTA) have been formulated as an alternative to the cell suppression problem (CSP) for tabular data. CTA formulates an optimization problem with fewer variables and constraints than CSP. However, the inclusion of binary decisions about protection sense of sensitive cells (optimal CTA) in the formulation, still results in a mixed integer-linear problem. This work shows how mathematical programming modeling languages can be used to develop a prototype for optimal CTA based on Benders method. Preliminary results are reported for some medium size two-dimensional tables. For this type of tables, the approach is competitive with other general-purpose algorithms implemented in commercial solvers.