A Roadmap for Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) Specification Documents
RFC 4614

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Network Working Group                                            M. Duke
Request for Comments: 4614                          Boeing Phantom Works
Category: Informational                                        R. Braden
                                      USC Information Sciences Institute
                                                                 W. Eddy
                                         Verizon Federal Network Systems
                                                              E. Blanton
                                      Purdue University Computer Science
                                                          September 2006

           A Roadmap for Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
                        Specification Documents

Status of This Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006).

Abstract

   This document contains a "roadmap" to the Requests for Comments (RFC)
   documents relating to the Internet's Transmission Control Protocol
   (TCP).  This roadmap provides a brief summary of the documents
   defining TCP and various TCP extensions that have accumulated in the
   RFC series.  This serves as a guide and quick reference for both TCP
   implementers and other parties who desire information contained in
   the TCP-related RFCs.

Duke, et al.                 Informational                      [Page 1]
RFC 4614                      TCP Roadmap                 September 2006

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction ....................................................2
   2. Basic Functionality .............................................4
   3. Recommended Enhancements ........................................6
      3.1. Congestion Control and Loss Recovery Extensions ............7
      3.2. SACK-Based Loss Recovery and Congestion Control ............8
      3.3. Dealing with Forged Segments ...............................9
   4. Experimental Extensions ........................................10
   5. Historic Extensions ............................................13
   6. Support Documents ..............................................14
      6.1. Foundational Works ........................................15
      6.2. Difficult Network Environments ............................16
      6.3. Implementation Advice .....................................19
      6.4. Management Information Bases ..............................20
      6.5. Tools and Tutorials .......................................22
      6.6. Case Studies ..............................................22
   7. Undocumented TCP Features ......................................23
   8. Security Considerations ........................................24
   9. Acknowledgments ................................................24
   10. Informative References ........................................25
      10.1. Basic Functionality ......................................25
      10.2. Recommended Enhancements .................................25
      10.3. Experimental Extensions ..................................26
      10.4. Historic Extensions ......................................27
      10.5. Support Documents ........................................28
      10.6. Informative References Outside the RFC Series ............31

1.  Introduction

   A correct and efficient implementation of the Transmission Control
   Protocol (TCP) is a critical part of the software of most Internet
   hosts.  As TCP has evolved over the years, many distinct documents
   have become part of the accepted standard for TCP.  At the same time,
   a large number of more experimental modifications to TCP have also
   been published in the RFC series, along with informational notes,
   case studies, and other advice.

   As an introduction to newcomers and an attempt to organize the
   plethora of information for old hands, this document contains a
   "roadmap" to the TCP-related RFCs.  It provides a brief summary of
   the RFC documents that define TCP.  This should provide guidance to
   implementers on the relevance and significance of the standards-track
   extensions, informational notes, and best current practices that
   relate to TCP.

Duke, et al.                 Informational                      [Page 2]
RFC 4614                      TCP Roadmap                 September 2006

   This document is not an update of RFC 1122 and is not a rigorous
   standard for what needs to be implemented in TCP.  This document is
   merely an informational roadmap that captures, organizes, and
   summarizes most of the RFC documents that a TCP implementer,
   experimenter, or student should be aware of.  Particular comments or
   broad categorizations that this document makes about individual
   mechanisms and behaviors are not to be taken as definitive, nor