Performance analysis of heterogeneous TCP congestion control environments

Abstract

There are a number of congestion control algorithms currently deployed and in use on the Internet today. These have a direct influence on streaming quality when delivering video content. The congestion algorithm determines how a stream behaves, such as how it reacts to congestion in the network, as well as influencing the maximum throughput that the stream is able to achieve. These are important metrics when discussing streaming video, as the streaming behaviour has a direct impact on the end user experience. An analysis on the state of TCP congestion control is presented, with the aim of highlighting conflicts that can occur in a heterogeneous congestion control environment. This includes some initial observations on the experimental congestion control algorithm, BBR, which is currently being developed by Google.