Random Order Set Cover is as Easy as Offline

Abstract

We give a polynomial-time algorithm for OnlineSetCover with a competitive ratio of O(log mn) when the elements are revealed in random order, essentially matching the best possible offline bound of O(log n) and circumventing the Ω(log m log n) lower bound known in adversarial order. We also extend the result to solving pure covering IPs when constraints arrive in random order.The algorithm is a multiplicative-weights-based round-and-solve approach we call LearnOr-Cover. We maintain a coarse fractional solution that is neither feasible nor monotone increasing, but can nevertheless be rounded online to achieve the claimed guarantee (in the random order model). This gives a new offline algorithm for SetCover that performs a single pass through the elements, which may be of independent interest.