Improved Solution to TCP Incast Problem in Data Center Networks

Abstract

TCP in cast refers to a throughput collapse when too many senders simultaneously transmit to the same receiver. In order to improve throughput, our idea is avoiding packet losses before TCP in cast happens. The scheme is limiting the number of concurrent senders such that the link can be filled as fully as possible but no packet losses. In this paper we re-examine and modify the condition that the link can be saturated but no packet losses, which initially presented in our previous work. Then based on the modified condition we propose an improved approach to determining the number of concurrent senders. Analysis and simulation results show this improved approach avoids TCP in cast and obtains more throughput improvement than the previous approach.