Title: A control theoretic perspective to congestion control in packet switched networks: the case of TCP Westwood

Speaker: Associate Professor Saverio Mascolo, Politecnico di Bari

Time and Place:

Tuesday, October 23rd, at 14:15
Library, floor 2 at Magistern, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 31, Uppsala

Abstract:

High-speed communication networks are characterized by large bandwidth-delay products. This may have an adverse impact on the stability of closed-loop congestion control algorithms. Here, classical control theory and Smith's principle are proposed as key tools for designing an effective and simple congestion control law for high-speed data networks.

The control law is transformed to a window form and is applied to Internet. The resulting control law surprisingly reveals that today's TCP/IP protocol implements a Smith predictor for congestion control. This provides a theoretical insight into the congestion control mechanism of TCP/IP along with a method to modify and improve this mechanism in a way that is backwards compatible. Finally TCP congestion control known as Westwood TCP is illustrated.

More information on TCP Westwood and Powerpoint files from the presentation.