On Packet Switches With Infinite Storage
RFC 970, “On Packet Switches With Infinite Storage”, is an Unknown document published in December 1985 by J. Nagle. The canonical text is published by the RFC Editor.
Abstract
The purpose of this RFC is to focus discussion on a particular problem in the ARPA-Internet and possible methods of solution. Most prior work on congestion in datagram systems focuses on buffer management. In this memo the case of a packet switch with infinite storage is considered. Such a packet switch can never run out of buffers. It can, however, still become congested. The meaning of congestion in an infinite-storage system is explored. An unexpected result is found that shows a datagram network with infinite storage, first-in-first-out queuing, at least two packet switches, and a finite packet lifetime will, under overload, drop all packets. By attacking the problem of congestion for the infinite-storage case, new solutions applicable to switches with finite storage may be found. No proposed solutions this document are intended as standards for the ARPA-Internet at this time.
What “Unknown” means
The standards-track status of this early RFC was never formally classified.
The canonical text of RFC 970 is hosted at rfc-editor.org. Available in TXT,HTML.
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