Modern application layer transmission patterns from a transport perspective

Abstract

We aim to broadly study the ways that modern applications use the underlying protocols and networks. Such an understanding is necessary when designing and optimizing lower-layer protocols. Traditionally-as prior work shows-applications have been well represented as bulk transfers, often preceded by application-layer handshaking. Recent suggestions posit that application evolution has eclipsed this simple model, and a typical pattern is now a series of transactions over a single transport layer connection. In this initial study we examine application transmission patterns via packet traces from two networks to better understand the ways that modern applications use TCP. © 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland.