Transmission Control Protocol Specification.

Abstract : This is the specification of the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) which is the host-to-host protocol for the AUTODIN II network. The AUTODIN II system provides the capability for geographically distributed computers, called hosts, to communicate with each other. The hosts are a diverse set of computers of differing manufacture, speed, word size, and operating system. The AUTODIN II system provides a mechanism for communication between hosts; the TCP specifies how the hosts use this mechanism to provide communication services to processes and ultimately to human users. The reader of this document is assumed to be familiar with the concepts of the AUTODIN II system, and with operating system concepts. In particular, the reader is expected to have read the AUTODIN II Specification. It is intended that the information presented here be sufficient and complete enough to allow a competent systems programmer to implement an operating system program module to carry out this protocol. In the following sections a brief background of the AUTODIN II network, and the protocol environment within it, is presented. This introduces the more detailed specification in the sections on TCP function, environment, and implementation. The document includes appendices on several details of TCP implementation. (Author)