In this paper, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation of a novel
endpoint congestion control system that achieves near-optimal
performance in all likely circumstances.
Our approach, called the Probe Control Protocol (PCP),
emulates network-based control by using explicit short probes
to test and temporarily acquire
available bandwidth. Like TCP, PCP requires no
network support beyond plain FIFO queues.
Our initial experiments show that
PCP, unlike TCP, achieves rapid startup, small queues, and low loss rates,
and that the efficiency of our approach
does not compromise eventual fairness and stability.
Further, PCP is compatible with sharing links with legacy TCP hosts,
making it feasible to deploy.
