´dynamic protocol plug-in´: a Middleware Provision for Enhancing Network Service Performance

The paper describes a protocol-level adaptation mechanism to enhance the performance of network service provisioning to clientele. In our model, a service provider (SP) maintains multiple protocol modules to exercise the infrastructure resources. Here, each protocol exhibits a certain degree of cost optimality (in terms of resource usage) in distinct operating regions of the network infrastructure. An example is the cost tradeoff between the ´goback-N´ and ´selective repeat´ based retransmission schemes for ´reliable data transfer´ between end-points under various packet loss rates in the network. During run-time, the SP selects one of the protocol modules that can meet the client-requested service obligation under the prevailing resource-level operating conditions. Our model allows a ´dynamic switching´ from one protocol module to another at run-time based on the changing network conditions. The overall goal is to offer a sustained access to the service with a resource-optimal and QoS-compliant service offering. The paper describes ´protocol switching´ as an architectural foundation for building cost-effective network services