Complications and performance issues resulting from handoffs have widely been overlooked by transport layer protocols. In mobile scenarios, layer 2 protocols begin to see issues, especially when multiple handoffs are imminent. Differentiating between delay caused by actual packet loss and congestion on the current link and delay simply caused by handoffs is an important distinction where transport layer protocols fall short. With current advancements in technology, traditional TCP reform is needed to accommodate a growing mobile culture. MPTCP is a new evolution of TCP that enables multiple paths or subflows and connections to be used transparently to applications. This is essential in a dynamically changing network as each subflow runs independently, allowing the connection to be maintained. In this article, we present our findings on transport layer handoff issues in currently deployed networks. We then discuss the use of MPTCP as a potential solution to address handoff-related and mobility-related service continuity issues. Finally, we propose cross-layer techniques for potential solutions to consider when designing a handoff-aware MPTCP protocol.

中文翻译：

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无线 HetNet 中的无缝切换：传输层挑战和具有跨层感知的多路径 TCP 解决方案


传输层协议普遍忽视了切换导致的复杂性和性能问题。在移动场景中，第 2 层协议开始出现问题，尤其是当多次切换即将发生时。区分由当前链路上的实际数据包丢失和拥塞引起的延迟与仅由切换引起的延迟是传输层协议不足的重要区别。随着当前技术的进步，需要对传统 TCP 进行改革以适应不断发展的移动文化。 MPTCP 是 TCP 的新演进，它允许对应用程序透明地使用多个路径或子流和连接。这在动态变化的网络中至关重要，因为每个子流独立运行，从而可以维持连接。在本文中，我们介绍了有关当前部署网络中传输层切换问题的发现。然后我们讨论使用 MPTCP 作为解决与切换相关和与移动性相关的服务连续性问题的潜在解决方案。最后，我们提出了在设计切换感知 MPTCP 协议时要考虑的潜在解决方案的跨层技术。