An Exposed Approach to Reliable Multicast in Heterogeneous Logistical Networks

An exposed approach in computer service architecture is one that offers client software a primitive service whose semantics are closely based on the underlying physical infrastructure. The exposed approach relies on the client to build higher-level services, with more abstract semantics, out of such primitive tools using sophisticated compilation or run-time algorithms. Current approaches to reliable multicast focus on encapsulated algorithms for efficient retransmission of datagrams to sets of receivers that require them. These approaches include augmenting the primary multicast data channel with direct TCP connections or with secondary multicast channels for retransmissions, and on the possibility of retransmissions originating from nodes in the middle of the network. In this paper we offer an exposed approach to multicast that uses an underlying Logistical Networking infrastructure that makes possible the implementation of any of the current retransmission algorithms, as well as new strategies yet to be devised.