An Approach to Reinforce Multipath TCP with Path-Aware Information.

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Networking
• Wireless Communication

Background:

• Multipath TCP (MPTCP) aggregates multiple wireless links for enhanced data transmission.
• Mobile devices increasingly utilize multiple network interfaces (e.g., Wi-Fi, LTE).
• Standard MPTCP can suffer from negative aggregation benefits on divergent paths.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and demonstrate the feasibility of Multipath TCP with Path Awareness (MPTCP-PA).
• To address the issue of negative aggregation benefits in MPTCP.
• To introduce MPTCP-LA (MPTCP with Loss Awareness) as a solution.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of MPTCP-LA, a novel MPTCP variant.
• MPTCP-LA dynamically switches traffic to a standby state on paths experiencing high loss.
• Extensive performance evaluation in an emulated network environment.

Main Results:

• MPTCP-LA effectively maintains non-negative aggregation benefits.
• Demonstrated improved throughput compared to standard MPTCP.
• Showcased significant savings in networking resources.

Conclusions:

• MPTCP with Path Awareness, specifically MPTCP-LA, is a viable enhancement for mobile networks.
• MPTCP-LA offers a practical solution to MPTCP's aggregation challenges.
• The proposed approach enhances overall network efficiency and user experience.