MESH-R: large-scale, reliable multicast transport

This paper presents a novel multicast protocol, MESH-R, for fully reliable data distribution in a scalable, efficient fashion. A key contribution of our solution is the receiver-driven, dynamic organization of the multicast control structure based on network performance characteristics. The MESH-R framework (1) is a fully distributed, transport-layer solution, (2) presents a robust state synchronization protocol that provides detailed end-system state for reliability, congestion control, group management, and other end-system services, and (3) achieves an efficient, low-latency error control service using a self-organizing, soft-state unicast recovery structure between multicast receivers. In order to assess the relative performance and cost of our solution in comparison to other approaches, MESH-R and three alternative protocols are implemented in a high-fidelity WAN testbed, and their performance and costs compared directly across a range of network assumptions. The results highlight the robustness and agility of MESH-R heuristics in adapting its error recovery and feedback message patterns to dynamic network conditions, and MESH-R performs well relative to the other protocols. The simulation study also uncovers some unexpected results regarding the relative performance between the four protocol designs under certain network scenarios