Performance analysis of a satellite communications backchannel architecture

摘要

The definition of a backchannel architecture for open systems interconnection over satellite links has been the subject of the SENS-project1 The new proposal is based on existent international standards and uses the options of the ISO-class 4 transport layer protocol in order to enclose in level 4 data link control functions for unidirectional satellite links following the rules of the IBM-checkpoint protocol. This paper provides performance values of the SENS architecture in comparison with those of common satellite communication systems. With means of elementary probability theoretical methods an approximate analysis of the IBM-checkpoint protocol is accomplished. The results show that for large amounts of data the new architecture proves to be best suited for cost efficient use of public satellite data links.