A window-based congestion control for reliable multicast based on TCP dynamics

ABSTRACT

The limitation of the current multicast model led to the development of embedded network assist and new service models for reliable transport. We show a viable solution for one of the hardest problems in reliable multicast — congestion control — through the deployment of a new forwarding service model, “Breadcrumb forwarding service” (BCFS). Our proposed reliable multicast transport, “Rainbow”, is built on top of this model. In our approach, each receiver maintains its own congestion window and individually runs window control modeled after TCP. To enhance Rainbow's scalability and support asynchronous receiver subscriptions, Rainbow utilizes Digital Fountain at the source. This allows receivers to exercise asynchronous and autonomous behavior while simultaneously enjoying the performance benefit of synchronous multicast communication with fast group establishment of BCFS. In this paper, we detail the congestion control of Rainbow and demonstrate its efficiency and scalability through simulation and analysis. According to simulation results, Rainbow shows more TCP-fair behavior than RLC, which is a TCP friendly congestion control scheme based on layered multicast.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.5 Local and Wide-Area Networks
          Subjects: Internet (e.g., TCP/IP)

Additional Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.2 Network Protocols

          Nouns: TCP/IP

  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design, Management, Measurement, Performance, Reliability, Theory