Network Infrastructure and Architecture: Designing High-Availability Networks

5

TCP/IP PROTOCOL SUITE

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Structure of the Protocol Suite

5.3 Internet Protocol

5.3.1 IP Addresses

5.3.2 IP Header Format and Function

5.4 User Datagram Protocol

5.5 Transmission Control Protocol

5.5.1 TCP Header Format and Function

5.5.2 Connection-Oriented Service

5.5.3 Receiver Window

5.6 TCP Flow Control

5.6.1 Receiver-Based Flow Control

5.6.2 Transmitter-Based Flow Control

5.6.3 Fast Retransmit and Fast Recovery

5.6.4 Delayed Acknowledgment

5.6.5 Naigle's Algorithm

5.7 IP Routing Mechanisms

5.8 IP Route Calculations

5.9 Difficulties with TCP and IP

5.9.1 One Shortest Route, Regardless of Load Conditions

5.9.2 Deliberate Congestion and Backoff

5.9.3 Lack of Quality-of-Service Support

5.9.4 Receiver Windows and Round-Trip Times

5.9.5 Long Fat, TCP Pipes

5.9.6 Big Packets on Thin Pipes

5.10 IPv6: The Future?

5.11 Conclusions

Key Points

References

5.1 INTRODUCTION

This book is based on the premise that the transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) suite will be the dominant set of telecommunications protocols used by a wide range of endpoint devices in future evolution of the Internet. Given this premise, it is necessary to present the reader with a background in the TCP/IP protocol suite. Our primary interest in the TCP/IP suite is in how it affects the underlying transport network. With this interest in mind, we concentrate on the systemic impact of the TCP/IP suite but do not attempt to present all the details. A fuller presentation of the ...