Stochastic Modeling of TCP over Lossy Links

—An analytical framework for modeling the performance of a single TCP session in the presence of random packet loss is presented. A Markovian approach is developed that allows us to study both memoryless channels (i.i.d packet loss) and channels with memory (correlated packet loss) modeled by a two state continuous time Gilbert model. The analytical results are validated against results using the ns simulator. It is shown that the model predicts throughput for LANs/WANs (low and high bandwidthdelay products) with good accuracy. Further, throughput for the i.i.d loss model is found to be relatively insensitive to the probability density function (p.d.f) of the loss inter-arrival process. For channels with memory, we present an empirically validated rule of thumb to categorize the channel transition frequency. Keywords—Transport control protocol, wireless networks, performance analysis.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2000
• Where: INFOCOM
• Authors: Alhussein A. Abouzeid, Sumit Roy, Murat Azizoglu
• Keywords: Communications, Correlated Packet Loss, INFOCOM 2000, Packet Loss, Random Packet Loss