Timer-Based Mechanisms in Reliable Transport Protocol Connection Management: A Comparison of the TCP and Delta-T Protocol Approaches

摘要

There is a need for timer-based mechanisms (other than retransmission timers) to achieve reliable connection management in transport protocols. This need is illustrated by comparing the timer mechanisms in the Department of Defense Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), initially designed using only a message exchange based mechanism, and in the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Delta-t protocol, designed explicitly to be timer based. The bounding of maximum packet lifetime and related parameters for achieving transport protocol reliability are important, and a mechanism is outlined for enforcing such a bound. (ERA citation 05:018294)