TCP window estimation for burst assembly in OBS networks

In this paper TCP performance over Optical Burst Switching networks is investigated by considering the burst assembly function implemented in the edge nodes. This function has a very important role on end-to-end performance and a edge node architecture is here proposed for improving performance. A multi-queue burst assembly algorithm which is based on an estimation of the current TCP window is proposed and evaluated. Results show that this algorithm can lead to TCP performance improvements of 100%, compared to timer-based assembly operating on a single queue. The OBS network is evaluated through simulations by means of the ns2 simulation tool.