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1How the new TCP output machine [nyi] works. 1TCP protocol
2============
3
4Last updated: 21 June 2005
5
6Contents
7========
8
9- Congestion control
10- How the new TCP output machine [nyi] works
11
12Congestion control
13==================
14
15The following variables are used in the tcp_sock for congestion control:
16snd_cwnd The size of the congestion window
17snd_ssthresh Slow start threshold. We are in slow start if
18 snd_cwnd is less than this.
19snd_cwnd_cnt A counter used to slow down the rate of increase
20 once we exceed slow start threshold.
21snd_cwnd_clamp This is the maximum size that snd_cwnd can grow to.
22snd_cwnd_stamp Timestamp for when congestion window last validated.
23snd_cwnd_used Used as a highwater mark for how much of the
24 congestion window is in use. It is used to adjust
25 snd_cwnd down when the link is limited by the
26 application rather than the network.
27
28As of 2.6.13, Linux supports pluggable congestion control algorithms.
29A congestion control mechanism can be registered through functions in
30tcp_cong.c. The functions used by the congestion control mechanism are
31registered via passing a tcp_congestion_ops struct to
32tcp_register_congestion_control. As a minimum name, ssthresh,
33cong_avoid, min_cwnd must be valid.
2 34
35Private data for a congestion control mechanism is stored in tp->ca_priv.
36tcp_ca(tp) returns a pointer to this space. This is preallocated space - it
37is important to check the size of your private data will fit this space, or
38alternatively space could be allocated elsewhere and a pointer to it could
39be stored here.
40
41There are three kinds of congestion control algorithms currently: The
42simplest ones are derived from TCP reno (highspeed, scalable) and just
43provide an alternative the congestion window calculation. More complex
44ones like BIC try to look at other events to provide better
45heuristics. There are also round trip time based algorithms like
46Vegas and Westwood+.
47
48Good TCP congestion control is a complex problem because the algorithm
49needs to maintain fairness and performance. Please review current
50research and RFC's before developing new modules.
51
52The method that is used to determine which congestion control mechanism is
53determined by the setting of the sysctl net.ipv4.tcp_congestion_control.
54The default congestion control will be the last one registered (LIFO);
55so if you built everything as modules. the default will be reno. If you
56build with the default's from Kconfig, then BIC will be builtin (not a module)
57and it will end up the default.
58
59If you really want a particular default value then you will need
60to set it with the sysctl. If you use a sysctl, the module will be autoloaded
61if needed and you will get the expected protocol. If you ask for an
62unknown congestion method, then the sysctl attempt will fail.
63
64If you remove a tcp congestion control module, then you will get the next
65available one. Since reno can not be built as a module, and can not be
66deleted, it will always be available.
67
68How the new TCP output machine [nyi] works.
69===========================================
3 70
4Data is kept on a single queue. The skb->users flag tells us if the frame is 71Data is kept on a single queue. The skb->users flag tells us if the frame is
5one that has been queued already. To add a frame we throw it on the end. Ack 72one that has been queued already. To add a frame we throw it on the end. Ack