Next-generation TCP for ns-3 simulator

Ns-3 simulator provides a great platform for experimental studies on different communi- cation technologies and network topologies, and it is already used by many researchers all around the world. Unfortunately, its current TCP implementation is outdated and not ready for being used as reference platform for TCP-centered research, relegating ns-3 to play a background role in favor of its predecessor, ns-2. This paper presents the update process of ns-3 TCP module, that offers to TCP devel- opers and researchers a consistent and RFC-compliant platform to base their works on. The method involves the addition of a new congestion-based state machine, the split of congestion control out from the socket core, and the development of a very detailed and complete testing framework, which can be easily extended. Performance tests follow the description, comparing RAM usage and execution time between ns-3 releases. Also, a case study over high-delay links on the interaction between the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and CoDel, an Active Queue Management algo- rithm born to control queuing delay, is presented.