Bu er Management and Rate Guarantees for TCP / IP overSatellite - ATM Networks

In this paper we present tehniques to to improve the performance TCP/IP over satellite-ATM networks, and to provide minimum rate guarantees to VCs carrying TCP/IP traac. Many future systems are proposing to use ATM or ATM like technology to transport TCP/IP based data. These systems must be designed to support best eeort services, as well as enhanced services that provide minimum rate guarantees to TCP/IP traac. In this paper we study four main issues. First, we discuss tehniques for optimizing TCP performance over satellite networks using the Unspeciied Bit Rate (UBR) service. We then demonstrate that high priority background traac can degrade TCP performance over UBR, and we discuss the use of rate guarantees to improve performance. We design a full factorial experiment to assess the buuer requirements for TCP over satellite-ATM networks. Finally, we discuss the use of the Guaranteed Frame Rate (GFR) service category to provide minimum rate guarantees to VCs carrying TCP/IP traac. We propose the Diierential Fair Buuer Allocation (DFBA) scheme for buuer management that provides GFR guarantees to TCP/IP traac over satellite latencies. We use full factorial experimental design with various latencies, buuer sizes, and TCP types for our simulations. y Some results in section 3 have appeared in 6]. Results in section 5 have appeared in 7]. This paper is a much enhanced and consolidated version, and no results have been published in a journal.