How Internet Congestion Control Actually Works in the Bufferbloat Age

Explore the intricacies of internet congestion control in this 43-minute conference talk from linux.conf.au 2020. Delve into the bufferbloat problem and its impact on network performance, including delayed web pages, glitchy videoconferences, and laggy online gaming. Learn about proper gateway configuration to mitigate bufferbloat issues in Linux systems. Gain a deep understanding of TCP functionality, covering concepts such as Slow Start, Congestion Avoidance, windowing, fair queuing, and active queue management. Examine the roles of packet drop and ECN, as well as alternative TCP implementations and transports like BBR and QUIC. Participate in live demonstrations using human packets and test your knowledge with a quiz. This talk aims to provide insights into basic network transports, enabling better system design and implementation.