Tuning computer communications networks and protocols

The objective is to adjust the protocol parameters and network elements to achieve maximum data throughput over a certain circuit or set of circuits (a network path) subject to certain constraints, such as: delay-bandwidth product, error rate, and tuning parameter limits and accessibility. To provide optimal performance from the user's perspective, which is application to application, all peer layers of the protocol must be tuned. The key to tuning protocols is reducing idle time on the links caused by various protocol layers waiting for acknowledgements. Experiments have been conducted on test bed systems, and on live satellite and terrestrial circuits. Various aspects of network tuning and certain specific issues relating to the tuning of three protocols (DECnet, TCP/IP, NETEX) over various media types (point-to-point and broadcast) under several different conditions (terrestrial and satellite) are examined. Also described are the lessons learned about protocol and network tuning.<
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