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Authors:
James F. Kurose, Keith W. Ross
Chapter:
Transport Layer
Exercise:
Review
Question:9 | ISBN:9780132856201 | Edition: 6

Question

In our rdt protocols, why did we need to introduce sequence numbers?

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Answer

Sequence numbers are necessary for a receiver to find out whether an arriving packet contains new data or is a retransmission in our rdt protocols.


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Discussions

abdulrehmantin@gmail.com

Yes. In the Reliable Data Transfer (RDT) protocols, sequence numbers are introduced to address the problem of packet loss and duplication in the network. The primary function of sequence numbers is to enable the receiver to detect and discard duplicate packets and to correctly order the received packets.

In the absence of sequence numbers, the receiver cannot distinguish between duplicate packets and out-of-order packets. For example, suppose a sender transmits two packets with the same data, but only one of them reaches the receiver due to a network error. If the receiver cannot distinguish between the two packets, it may deliver the same data twice to the application, leading to data corruption and other problems.

By assigning a unique sequence number to each packet, the receiver can easily detect duplicate packets and discard them. Additionally, the receiver can use sequence numbers to correctly order the received packets before delivering them to the application. This ensures that the data is delivered correctly and in the correct order, even in the presence of packet loss and retransmissions.

Sequence numbers also play a critical role in the flow control and congestion control mechanisms of the RDT protocols. By assigning a sequence number to each packet, the sender and receiver can keep track of the number of packets in transit and adjust the sending rate to avoid congestion in the network.

Overall, the introduction of sequence numbers in the RDT protocols helps to ensure reliable and ordered data transmission, and enables the implementation of various flow and congestion control mechanisms.

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