Reinterpreting the transport protocol stack to embrace ossification

McQuistin, S. and Perkins, C. (2015) Reinterpreting the transport protocol stack to embrace ossification. In: IAB Workshop on Stack Evolution in a Middlebox Internet (SEMI), Zurich, Switzerland, 26-27 Jan 2015,

Abstract

Ubiquitous deployment of middleboxes has resulted in ossification of the transport layer, with TCP and UDP becoming part of the narrow waist of the Internet. This is a necessary stage in the evolution of the network, caused by its progression from research, to production, to increasingly critical infrastructure. New transport layer protocols will be needed in future, but since we are working with essential infrastructure, we cannot expect to have scope to make wholesale rapid changes. Future development must be done using the existing protocols as substrates, always maintaining on-the-wire compatibility. To advance, we must embrace the ossification of the network, and learn to reinterpret and extend the existing protocols.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Perkins, Dr Colin and McQuistin, Dr Stephen
• Authors: McQuistin, S., and Perkins, C.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Computing Science
• Research Group: ENDS
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2015 The Author
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced with the permission of the author

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