Architecture for dynamically adaptive transport protocols

• US 20060067333A1
• Filed: 09/26/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Sivakumar, Raghupathy, Velayutham, Aravind
• Granted Patent: US 8,761,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.520
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for reconfiguring a transport-layer protocol are disclosed. The transport-layer protocol is implemented by a plurality of transport-layer mechanisms. Each transport-layer mechanism resides in a dynamically loadable module and implements a specific area of transport-layer functionality. One method comprises: performing an initial load of a first plurality of transport-layer mechanisms into memory; unloading one of the first plurality of transport-layer mechanisms; and loading at least one transport-layer mechanism different than the first plurality. One system comprises a processor coupled to a local interface; a memory coupled to the local interface; and protocol logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor. The protocol logic comprises: monitor logic configured to detect a change in at least one network performance condition of a network communicatively coupled to the network interface; adaptation logic configured to load into the memory a transport-layer mechanism upon a notification by the monitor logic.

Claims

1. A method for reconfiguring a transport-layer protocol, the protocol being part of a protocol stack residing in a device with at least one network interface and a memory, the transport-layer protocol implemented by a plurality of transport-layer mechanisms, each transport-layer mechanism implementing a specific area of transport-layer functionality, the method comprising the steps of:

performing an initial load of a first plurality of transport-layer mechanisms into the memory, each of the transport-layer mechanisms residing in a dynamically loadable module;

unloading from the memory one of the first plurality of transport-layer mechanisms; and

loading into the memory at least one transport-layer mechanism different than the first plurality.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the loading and unloading steps are performed in response to a change in at least one network performance condition of a network communicatively coupled to the network interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the loading and unloading steps are performed in response to a change in the binding between the network interface and the protocol stack.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the loading and unloading steps are performed in response to a user command.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

loading into the memory a transport logic module, the transport logic module mapping each of a plurality of transport-layer events to one of the plurality of transport-layer mechanisms.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of loading a transport logic module is performed in response to a change in at least one network performance condition of a network communicatively coupled to the network interface.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of loading a transport logic module is performed in response to a change in the binding between the network interface and the protocol stack.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring at least one network performance condition of a network communicatively coupled to the network interface, the condition specified by a trigger; and

upon the condition being met, loading a module containing a transport-layer mechanism associated with the trigger.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the monitoring step further comprises the step of:

comparing the network performance condition to a threshold associated with the trigger.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

providing an indication that the trigger condition has been met, the indication specifying a transport-layer mechanism.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

executing, in response to a transport-layer event, one of the transport-layer mechanisms.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

mapping a transport-layer event to a specified one of the transport-layer mechanisms; and

executing the specified transport-layer mechanism in response to the transport-layer event.

13. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising the steps of:

loading a short-circuit module which provides transport-layer functionality during reconfiguration of the transport-layer protocol and buffers data and events until the reconfiguration has completed, the short-circuit module remaining in memory while the transport-layer protocol is in use.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing data which is shareable between the unloaded mechanism in the first plurality and the newly loaded mechanism.

15. A system for dynamically adapting a transport-layer protocol in a device with at least one network interface and a memory, the transport-layer protocol implemented by a plurality of transport-layer mechanisms, each transport-layer mechanism implementing a specific area of transport-layer functionality, comprising:

a processor coupled to a local interface;

a memory coupled to the local interface; and

transport-protocol logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the transport-protocol logic comprising;

monitor logic configured to detect a change in at least one network performance condition of a network communicatively coupled to the network interface; and

adaptation logic configured to load into the memory a transport-layer mechanism upon a notification by the monitor logic.

16. The system of claim 15, the protocol logic further comprising:

transport logic configured to associate each of a plurality of transport-layer events with one of the plurality of transport-layer mechanisms;

dispatcher logic configured to deliver the transport-layer events to the associated transport-layer mechanism.

17. The system of claim 16, the adaptation logic further configured to load the transport logic module in response to the change in the network performance condition.

18. The system of claim 16, the adaptation logic further configured to load the transport logic module in response to a change in the binding between the network interface and the protocol stack.

19. The system of claim 16, the monitor logic further configured to compare the network performance condition to a threshold.

20. The system of claim 16, the monitor logic further configured to provide an indication that condition has been met, the indication specifying a transport-layer mechanism.

21. The system of claim 15, the protocol logic further comprising:

short-circuit logic configured to provide transport-layer functionality during reconfiguration of the transport-layer protocol and to buffer data and events until the reconfiguration has completed, the short-circuit logic remaining in memory while the transport-layer protocol is in use.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for sharing state between the unloaded mechanism in the first plurality and the newly loaded mechanism.

23. A computer readable medium for reconfiguring a transport-layer protocol, the protocol being part of a protocol stack residing in a device with at least one network interface and a memory, the transport-layer protocol implemented by a plurality of transport-layer mechanisms, each transport-layer mechanism implementing a specific area of transport-layer functionality, the program comprising logic for performing the steps of:

performing an initial load of a first plurality of transport-layer mechanisms into the memory, each of the transport-layer mechanisms residing in a dynamically loadable module;

unloading from the memory one of the first plurality of transport-layer mechanisms; and

loading into the memory at least one transport-layer mechanism different than the first plurality.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the loading and unloading steps are performed in response to a change in at least one network performance condition of a network communicatively coupled to the network interface.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the loading and unloading steps are performed in response to a change in the binding between the network interface and the protocol stack.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the loading and unloading steps are performed in response to a user command.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 23, the program further comprising logic for performing the step of:

loading into the memory a transport logic module, the transport logic module mapping each of a plurality of transport-layer events to one of the plurality of transport-layer mechanisms.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the step of loading a transport logic module is performed in response to a change in at least one network performance condition of a network communicatively coupled to the network interface.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the step of loading a transport logic module is performed in response to a change in the binding between the network interface and the protocol stack.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 23, the program further comprising logic for performing the steps of:

monitoring at least one network performance condition of a network communicatively coupled to the network interface, the condition specified by a trigger; and

upon the condition being met, loading a module containing a transport-layer mechanism associated with the trigger.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, the program further comprising logic for performing the step of:

comparing the network performance condition to a threshold associated with the trigger.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 30, the program further comprising logic for performing the step of:

providing an indication that the trigger condition has been met, the indication specifying a transport-layer mechanism.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 23, the program further comprising logic for performing the step of:

executing, in response to a transport-layer event, one of the transport-layer mechanisms.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 23, the program further comprising logic for performing the step of:

mapping a transport-layer event to a specified one of the transport-layer mechanisms; and

executing the specified transport-layer mechanism in response to the transport-layer event.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 23, the program further comprising logic for performing the steps of:

loading a short-circuit module which provides transport-layer functionality during reconfiguration of the transport-layer protocol and buffers data and events until the reconfiguration has completed, the short-circuit module remaining in memory while the transport-layer protocol is in use.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 23, the program further comprising logic for performing the step of:

providing data which is shareable between the unloaded mechanism in the first plurality and the newly loaded mechanism.