Aron, MohitDruschel, Peter2017-08-022017-08-021998-06-03Aron, Mohit and Druschel, Peter. "TCP: Improving Startup Dynamics by Adaptive Timers and Congestion Control." (1998) https://hdl.handle.net/1911/96494.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/96494This paper studies the startup dynamics of TCP on both high as well as low bandwidth-delay network paths and proposes a set of enhancements that improve both the latency as well as throughput of relatively short TCP transfers. Numerous studies have shown that the timer and congestion control mechanisms in TCP can have a limiting effect on performance in the startup phase. Based on the results of our study, we propose mechanisms for adaptingTCP in order to yield increased performance. First, we propose a framework for the management of timing in TCP. Second, we show how TCP can utilize the proposed timer framework to reduce the overly conservative delay associated with a retransmission timeout. Third, we propose the use of packet pacing in the initial slow-start to improve the performance of relatively short transfers that characterize the web traffic. Finally, we quantify the importance of estimating the initial slow-start threshold in TCP, specially on high bandwidth-delay paths.23 ppengYou are granted permission for the noncommercial reproduction, distribution, display, and performance of this technical report in any format, but this permission is only for a period of forty-five (45) days from the most recent time that you verified that this technical report is still available from the Computer Science Department of Rice University under terms that include this permission. All other rights are reserved by the author(s).Technical reportTR98-318