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RFC 889, "Internet Delay Experiments", December 1983

Source of RFC: Legacy
See Also: RFC 889 w/ inline errata

Errata ID: 7770
Status: Verified
Type: Editorial
Publication Format(s) : TEXT

Reported By: Greg Skinner
Date Reported: 2024-01-20
Verifier Name: RFC Editor
Date Verified: 2024-01-22

Section 3 says:

     One of the basic features of TCP which allow it to be used on paths
spanning many nets of widely varying delay and packet-loss characteristics is
the retranansmission-timeout algorithm, sometimes known as the "RSRE
Algorithm" for the original designers.  The algorithm operates by recording
the time and initial sequence number when a segment is transmitted, then
computing the elapsed time for that sequence number to be acknowledged.  There
are various degrees of sophistication in the implementation of the algorithm,
ranging from allowing only one such computation to be in progress at a time to
allowing one for each segment outstanding at a time on the connection.

     The retransmission-timeout algorithm is basically an estimation process.
It maintains an extimate of the current roundtrip delay time and updates it as
new delay samples are computed.  The algorithm smooths these samples and then
establishes a timeout, which if exceeded causes a retransmission.  The
selection of the parameters of this algorithm are vitally important in order
to provide effective data transmission and avoid abuse of the Internet system
by excessive retransmissions.  I have long been suspicious of the parameters
suggested in the specification and used in some implementations, especially in
cases involving long-delay paths involving lossy nets.  The experiment was
designed to simulate the operation of the algorithm using data collected from
real paths involving some pretty leaky Internet plumbing.

It should say:

     One of the basic features of TCP which allows it to be used on paths
spanning many nets of widely varying delay and packet-loss characteristics is
the retranansmission-timeout algorithm, sometimes known as the "RSRE
Algorithm" by the original designers.  The algorithm operates by recording
the time and initial sequence number when a segment is transmitted, then
computing the elapsed time for that sequence number to be acknowledged.  There
are various degrees of sophistication in the implementation of the algorithm,
ranging from allowing only one such computation to be in progress at a time to
allowing one for each segment outstanding at a time on the connection.
     
     The retransmission-timeout algorithm is basically an estimation process.
It maintains an estimate of the current roundtrip delay time and updates it as
new delay samples are computed.  The algorithm smooths these samples and then
establishes a timeout, which if exceeded causes a retransmission.  The
selection of the parameters of this algorithm are vitally important in order
to provide effective data transmission and avoid abuse of the Internet system
by excessive retransmissions.  I have long been suspicious of the parameters
suggested in the specification and used in some implementations, especially in
cases involving long-delay paths involving lossy nets.  The experiment was
designed to simulate the operation of the algorithm using data collected from
real paths involving some pretty leaky Internet plumbing.

Notes:

The first paragraph contains grammatical errors. The second contains a spelling error.

--RFC Editor notes: --
first sentence in first paragraph: allow > allows
first sentence in first paragraph: for > by
first sentence in second paragraph: extimate > estimate

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