WSCALE options in established TCP connections
draft-harris-estab-wscale-00

Abstract

The TCP Window Scale option modifies the interpretation of packets in a flow but is transmitted only at the start of the connection. As such there is a problem for observability and fault-finding, since a packet capture by a third party may miss the start of a relevant connection. This document describes the use of TCP options to provide the scale values during a connection.

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Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 1.1. Requirements Language
• 2. TCP WINDOW SCALE OPTION
• 2.1. Format
• 2.2. Sender
• 2.3. Receiver
• 3. IANA Considerations
• 4. Security Considerations
• 5. Normative References
• Author's Address

1. Introduction

The TCP WSCALE option [RFC1323] provides a means for scaling the effective value of window size value in the TCP header. This is needed for high bandwidth-delay product connections for adequate performance as large window sizes must be used. Use of the facility is negotiated by the presence in both SYN-bearing packets at the start of the connection of WSCALE options, and is valid with the shift values presented there for the remainder of the connection. When debugging network problems it is common to take a packet capture and heuristically interpret it. If a TCP connection is captured without the initiating SYN packets the window scale information will not be available. The TCP extension usage defined here makes it available for such debugging purposes.

1.1. Requirements Language

The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119 [RFC2119].

2. TCP WINDOW SCALE OPTION

2.1. Format

The wire format of the option is as defined in [RFC1323].

2.2. Sender

A TCP endpoint which has both sent and received WSCALE options in SYN-bearing packet MAY send a WSCALE option in a subsequent non-SYN-bearing packet for that connection. Any such option MUST carry the same content as the original sent by the endpoint.

[Discussion: I'd like to see these advisory WSCALE options at about the rate of one in a thousand packets. Deferring for other use of option-space, eg SACK, might be wise; the absolute rate is unimportant.]

A sender which supports this facility MUST provide a means for disabling it. This means MAY act on a per-connection basis.

[Discussion: The usual one about middleboxes failing on non-understood protocol features.]

2.3. Receiver

A TCP endpoint MUST ignore any WSCALE option received on a non-SYN-bearing packet.

3. IANA Considerations

This memo includes no request to IANA.

4. Security Considerations

This facility does not introduce any new security issues.

5. Normative References

Author's Address