Transport layer protocols and strategies for delay and disruption tolerant networks
Panagiotis Matzakos · Graduate School and Research Center in Digital Science (EURECOM) · 2013
Delay Tolerant Network Architecture was initially designed to deal with communication challenges in Interplanetary Deep Space Networks. Such challenges can be for example the lack of end-to-end connectivity, communication through error-prone asymmetric channels, as well as long propagation delays and connectivity disruptions. In this context, the application of traditional TCP/IP stack can be very problematic and DTN architecture aims to overcome the communication obstacles by offering a transparent and flexible scheme, capable of providing data transfer services which can “survive” the challenging conditions and at the same time they are applicable throughout heterogeneous Network Environments. DTN architecture and its transport layer techniques have been more recently considered suitable for terrestrial applications as well, in environments which can have similar properties with Deep Space. In this survey we aim to show the similarities as well as the particularities of each application environment and present analytically the solutions offered in the literature, trying to highlight their possible applicability in environments different from the ones for which they were initially proposed.