End-to-End Session: Tuning the Transport Layer

One key factor in successful deployments is the optimal working network. In Chapter 3, we describe how to tune server-side Transport Control Protocol (TCP) to meet the challenges that arise as a result of clients connecting at different network bandwidths and latencies. TCP is a complex window-based protocol that must be tuned in order to achieve good throughput. FIGURE 1-5 shows the importance of end-to-end connectivity and tuning TCP due to the widely different latencies, bandwidths, and congestion that each client may be subjected to when connecting to the data center network server. Almost all current material provides blind recommendations about which parameters to tune. We describe exactly which parameters are important to tune and the impact that tuning has on other parts of TCP. A network architect is often consulted about how to improve performance after a network has been designed and implemented. Chapter 3, although used after the design phase, was included to fill a void in this area.

Figure 1-5. Transport Layer Traffic Flows Tuned According to Client Links