Application-Driven Flexible Protocol Configuration

Many emerging applications require very diverse services from the underlying communication subsystem. Future communication nodes will have to offer some flexibility in selecting service characteristics and efficiency in implementing them. In this paper, we present a model that allows each application to request the communication service that it needs. Based on service requirements and available resources, a suitable protocol machine is configured to serve the application. This configuration is done using the proper combination of protocol functions. The concept of layering is therefore abandoned for both flexibility and efficiency.