Stats on compact block reconstructions

Understanding TCP's operational intricacies requires delving into how data transmission is regulated and the potential pitfalls therein. The core issue in TCP performance, as delineated by RFC 5681, revolves around the interplay between the receiver-advertised window (rwnd) and the congestion window (cwnd). These windows collectively determine the maximum amount of data that can be sent in a single round trip. The smaller of the two windows acts as a cap on this volume, directly influencing throughput efficiency.

The discussion extends to the practical challenges encountered when message sizes exceed these window limits, leading to either congestion issues or the need for IP fragmentation. Although not explicitly differentiated, both scenarios are implicated in contributing to latency. Notably, messages significantly larger than the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU), typically around 1500 bytes, necessitate fragmentation. This process can exacerbate latency concerns, hinting at a trade-off between data packet size and transmission efficiency.

Further exploration into the matter is supported by references to RFC documents addressing IP fragmentation (RFC 8900) and its implications (RFC 4963). These documents shed light on the complexities and potential drawbacks of exceeding the MTU, casting doubt on the benefits of pre-filling data packets beyond this threshold.

A subsequent contribution to the conversation, posted in a Lightning network context (discussion link), attempts to distill the essence of the aforementioned RFCs. It suggests a reevaluation of the conflation between IP reassembly and TCP reassembly, underlining the importance of empirical data to navigate these technical nuances better. This perspective underscores the ongoing debate on optimizing TCP performance amidst constraints posed by data transmission protocols and network infrastructure.