Model-Based Metrics for Bulk Transport Capacity
RFC 8337
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) M. Mathis
Request for Comments: 8337 Google, Inc
Category: Experimental A. Morton
ISSN: 2070-1721 AT&T Labs
March 2018
Model-Based Metrics for Bulk Transport Capacity
Abstract
This document introduces a new class of Model-Based Metrics designed
to assess if a complete Internet path can be expected to meet a
predefined Target Transport Performance by applying a suite of IP
diagnostic tests to successive subpaths. The subpath-at-a-time tests
can be robustly applied to critical infrastructure, such as network
interconnections or even individual devices, to accurately detect if
any part of the infrastructure will prevent paths traversing it from
meeting the Target Transport Performance.
Model-Based Metrics rely on mathematical models to specify a Targeted
IP Diagnostic Suite, a set of IP diagnostic tests designed to assess
whether common transport protocols can be expected to meet a
predetermined Target Transport Performance over an Internet path.
For Bulk Transport Capacity, the IP diagnostics are built using test
streams and statistical criteria for evaluating the packet transfer
that mimic TCP over the complete path. The temporal structure of the
test stream (e.g., bursts) mimics TCP or other transport protocols
carrying bulk data over a long path. However, they are constructed
to be independent of the details of the subpath under test, end
systems, or applications. Likewise, the success criteria evaluates
the packet transfer statistics of the subpath against criteria
determined by protocol performance models applied to the Target
Transport Performance of the complete path. The success criteria
also does not depend on the details of the subpath, end systems, or
applications.
Mathis & Morton Experimental [Page 1]
RFC 8337 Model-Based Metrics March 2018
Status of This Memo
This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is
published for examination, experimental implementation, and
evaluation.
This document defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet
community. This document is a product of the Internet Engineering
Task Force (IETF). It represents the consensus of the IETF
community. It has received public review and has been approved for
publication by the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). Not
all documents approved by the IESG are candidates for any level of
Internet Standard; see Section 2 of RFC 7841.
Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8337.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (c) 2018 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
document authors. All rights reserved.
This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
(https://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
publication of this document. Please review these documents
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to this document. Code Components extracted from this document must
include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
described in the Simplified BSD License.
Mathis & Morton Experimental [Page 2]
RFC 8337 Model-Based Metrics March 2018
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ....................................................4
2. Overview ........................................................5
3. Terminology .....................................................8
3.1. General Terminology ........................................8
3.2. Terminology about Paths ...................................10
3.3. Properties ................................................11
3.4. Basic Parameters ..........................................12
3.5. Ancillary Parameters ......................................13
3.6. Temporal Patterns for Test Streams ........................14
3.7. Tests .....................................................15
4. Background .....................................................16
4.1. TCP Properties ............................................18
4.2. Diagnostic Approach .......................................20
4.3. New Requirements Relative to RFC 2330 .....................21
5. Common Models and Parameters ...................................22
5.1. Target End-to-End Parameters ..............................22
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