Adaptive acknowledgment mechanism for network communication

• US 8,418,017 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsao, Yeongtau Louis, Mazzagatte, Craig M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rizk, Sam
• Application Number:
  US12/873,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 714/748, 714/749, 714/776, 709/228, 370/252
• US Class Current: 714/749
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1825 Adaptation of specific ARQ protocol parameters according to transmission conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1896 ARQ related signaling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/43 Assembling or disassembling of packets, e.g. segmentation and reassembly [SAR]

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to network communication between a sender and a receiver. Network communication is established between the sender and the receiver using a first acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver. The first acknowledgment mechanism is selected from one of a receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and a receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA). Communication information is monitored, wherein the communication information indicates at least a current state of performance for network communication. Based on the communication information, a message is exchanged between the sender and the receiver to negotiate a switchover to a second acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver. The second acknowledgment mechanism is selected from the other of the receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and the receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA). Network communication is then established between the sender and the receiver using the second acknowledgment mechanism.

Claims

1. A method for network communication between a sender and a receiver, comprising:

establishing network communication between the sender and the receiver using a first acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver, wherein the first acknowledgment mechanism is selected from one of a receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and a receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA);

monitoring communication information which indicates at least a current state of performance for network communication between the sender and the receiver;

based on the communication information, exchanging a message between the sender and the receiver to negotiate a switchover to a second acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver, wherein the second acknowledgment mechanism is selected from the other of the receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and the receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA); and

based on the negotiation between the sender and the receiver, establishing network communication between the sender and the receiver using the second acknowledgment mechanism.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication information includes at least one of a count of re-send operations for failed transmissions from sender to receiver, a monitor of network bandwidth relative to an I/O storage system at the receiver, and a monitor of available memory at the sender for caching of unacknowledged data packets.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sender and the receiver negotiate a switchover from an RNA mechanism to an RPA mechanism responsive to a determination that the count of re-send operations exceeds a threshold count, or a determination that the monitor of network bandwidth outperforms the I/O storage system of the receiver, or a determination that the sender has insufficient memory for caching of unacknowledged data packets.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sender and the receiver negotiate a switchover from an RPA mechanism to an RNA mechanism responsive to a determination that the count of re-send operations remains lower than a threshold count, or a determination that the monitor of the I/O storage system of the receiver outperforms network bandwidth, or a determination that the sender has adequate memory for caching of unacknowledged data packets.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein messages are exchanged between the sender and the receiver to negotiate a mutual agreement between the sender and the receiver for a switchover to a second acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring communication information is performed repeatedly by the sender and by the receiver, so as to trigger a renegotiation of an acknowledgment mechanism responsive to significant changes in communication information.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sender and the receiver communicate over multiple data transport channels simultaneously, and

wherein the communication information includes at least a monitor of aggregated network bandwidth relative to an I/O storage system at the receiver and/or an I/O storage system at the sender.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the sender and the receiver negotiate a switchover from an RNA mechanism to an RPA mechanism responsive to a determination that the monitor of aggregated network bandwidth outperforms the I/O storage system of the receiver, and negotiate a switchover from an RPA mechanism to an RNA mechanism responsive to a determination that the monitor of the I/O storage system of the receiver outperforms aggregated network bandwidth,

wherein each of the switchover negotiation from an RNA mechanism to an RPA mechanism and the switchover negotiation from an RPA mechanism to an RNA mechanism is based at least partially on an available memory at the receiver for caching data packets.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the negotiation of a switchover to the second acknowledgment mechanism is a progressive negotiation.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein in an RPA mechanism, a single RPA message signifies receipt of more than one data packet.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein in an RNA mechanism, the sender makes a determination to increase or decrease an amount of sent data packets to store in a memory, based on a re-send count and a size of the memory at the sender.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein network communication is effected in multiple layers that include a transport layer or an application layer, and wherein the steps of monitoring communication information and negotiating a switchover to a different acknowledgment mechanism are effected at the transport layer.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein network communication is effected in multiple layers that include a transport layer or an application layer, and wherein the steps of monitoring communication information and negotiating a switchover to a different acknowledgment mechanism are effected at the application layer.

14. A method for network communication between a sender and a receiver, wherein the sender performs steps comprising:

establishing network communication between the sender and the receiver using a first acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver, wherein the first acknowledgment mechanism is selected from one of a receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and a receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA);

monitoring communication information which indicates at least a current state of performance for network communication between the sender and the receiver, wherein the communication information includes at least one of a count of re-send operations for failed transmissions from sender to receiver, and a monitor of available memory at the sender for caching of unacknowledged data packets;

responsive to a determination that the count of re-send operations exceeds a threshold count, or a determination that the sender has insufficient memory for caching of unacknowledged data packets, sending a message to the receiver to negotiate a switchover from an RNA mechanism to an RPA mechanism;

responsive to a determination that the count of re-send operations remains lower than a threshold count, or a determination that the sender has adequate memory for caching of unacknowledged data packets, sending a message to the receiver to negotiate a switchover from an RPA mechanism to an RNA mechanism;

receiving a message from the receiver indicating agreement to switchover to a second acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver, wherein the second acknowledgment mechanism is selected from the other of the receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and the receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA); and

based on the negotiation of a mutual agreement between the sender and the receiver, establishing network communication between the sender and the receiver using the second acknowledgment mechanism.

15. A method for network communication between a sender and a receiver, wherein the receiver performs steps comprising:

establishing network communication between the sender and the receiver using a first acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver, wherein the first acknowledgment mechanism is selected from one of a receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and a receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA);

monitoring communication information which indicates at least a current state of performance for network communication between the sender and the receiver, wherein the communication information includes at least a monitor of network bandwidth relative to an I/O storage system at the receiver;

responsive to a determination that the monitor of network bandwidth outperforms the I/O storage system of the receiver, sending a message to the sender to negotiate a switchover from an RNA mechanism to an RPA mechanism;

responsive to a determination that the monitor of the I/O storage system of the receiver outperforms network bandwidth, sending a message to the sender to negotiate a switchover from an RPA mechanism to an RNA mechanism;

receiving a message from the sender indicating agreement to switchover to a second acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver, wherein the second acknowledgment mechanism is selected from the other of the receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and the receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA); and

based on the negotiation of a mutual agreement between the sender and the receiver, establishing network communication between the sender and the receiver using the second acknowledgment mechanism.

16. A communication endpoint comprising:

a computer-readable memory constructed to store computer-executable process steps; and

a processor constructed to execute the computer-executable process steps stored in the memory,

wherein the process steps in the memory cause the processor to perform network communication between a sender and a receiver, and wherein the process steps stored in the memory include computer-executable steps to;

establish network communication between the sender and the receiver using a first acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver, wherein the first acknowledgment mechanism is selected from one of a receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and a receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA);

monitor communication information which indicates at least a current state of performance for network communication between the sender and the receiver;

based on the communication information, exchange a message between the sender and the receiver to negotiate a switchover to a second acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver, wherein the second acknowledgment mechanism is selected from the other of the receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and the receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA); and

based on the negotiation between the sender and the receiver, establish network communication between the sender and the receiver using the second acknowledgment mechanism.

17. The communication endpoint according to claim 16, wherein the communication information includes at least one of a count of re-send operations for failed transmissions from sender to receiver, a monitor of network bandwidth relative to an I/O storage system at the receiver, and a monitor of available memory at the sender for caching of unacknowledged data packets.

18. The communication endpoint according to claim 17, wherein the sender and the receiver negotiate a switchover from an RNA mechanism to an RPA mechanism responsive to a determination that the count of re-send operations exceeds a threshold count, or a determination that the monitor of network bandwidth outperforms the I/O storage system of the receiver, or a determination that the sender has insufficient memory for caching of unacknowledged data packets.

19. The communication endpoint according to claim 17, wherein the sender and the receiver negotiate a switchover from an RPA mechanism to an RNA mechanism responsive to a determination that the count of re-send operations remains lower than a threshold count, or a determination that the monitor of the I/O storage system of the receiver outperforms network bandwidth, or a determination that the sender has adequate memory for caching of unacknowledged data packets.

20. The communication endpoint according to claim 16, wherein messages are exchanged between the sender and the receiver to negotiate a mutual agreement between the sender and the receiver for a switchover to a second acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver.

21. The communication endpoint according to claim 16, wherein the step of monitoring communication information is performed repeatedly by the sender and by the receiver, so as to trigger a renegotiation of an acknowledgment mechanism responsive to significant changes in communication information.

22. The communication endpoint according to claim 16, wherein the sender and the receiver communicate over multiple data transport channels simultaneously, and

wherein the communication information includes at least a monitor of aggregated network bandwidth relative to an I/O storage system at the receiver and/or an I/O storage system at the sender.

23. The communication endpoint according to claim 22, wherein the sender and the receiver negotiate a switchover from an RNA mechanism to an RPA mechanism responsive to a determination that the monitor of aggregated network bandwidth outperforms the I/O storage system of the receiver, and negotiate a switchover from an RPA mechanism to an RNA mechanism responsive to a determination that the monitor of the I/O storage system of the receiver outperforms aggregated network bandwidth,

wherein each of the switchover negotiation from an RNA mechanism to an RPA mechanism and the switchover negotiation from an RPA mechanism to an RNA mechanism is based at least partially on an available memory at the receiver for caching data packets.

24. The communication endpoint according to claim 16, wherein the negotiation of a switchover to the second acknowledgment mechanism is a progressive negotiation.

25. The communication endpoint according to claim 24, wherein in an RPA mechanism, a single RPA message signifies receipt of more than one data packet.

26. The communication endpoint according to claim 24, wherein in an RNA mechanism, the sender makes a determination to increase or decrease an amount of sent data packets to store in a memory, based on a re-send count and a size of the memory at the sender.

27. The communication endpoint according to claim 16, wherein network communication is effected in multiple layers that include a transport layer or an application layer, and wherein the steps of monitoring communication information and negotiating a switchover to a different acknowledgment mechanism are effected at the transport layer.

28. The communication endpoint according to claim 16, wherein network communication is effected in multiple layers that include a transport layer or an application layer, and wherein the steps of monitoring communication information and negotiating a switchover to a different acknowledgment mechanism are effected at the application layer.

29. A computer-readable memory medium on which is stored computer-executable process steps for causing a processor to perform network communication between a sender and a receiver, the process steps comprising:

establishing network communication between the sender and the receiver using a first acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver, wherein the first acknowledgment mechanism is selected from one of a receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and a receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA);

monitoring communication information which indicates at least a current state of performance for network communication between the sender and the receiver;

based on the communication information, exchanging a message between the sender and the receiver to negotiate a switchover to a second acknowledgment mechanism for signifying receipt of data by the receiver, wherein the second acknowledgment mechanism is selected from the other of the receiver positive acknowledgment mechanism (RPA) and the receiver negative acknowledgment mechanism (RNA); and

based on the negotiation between the sender and the receiver, establishing network communication between the sender and the receiver using the second acknowledgment mechanism.