Chapter 4 - Principles in action

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Part 2 of the book begins a detailed look at specific network bottlenecks such as data copying and control transfer. While the principles are used in these later chapters, the focus of these later chapters is on the specific bottleneck being examined. Given that network algorithmics is as much a way of thinking as it is a set of techniques, it seems useful to round out Part 1 by seeing the principles in action on small, self contained, but nontrivial network problems. Thus this chapter provides examples of applying the principles in solving specific networking problems. The examples are drawn from real problems, and some of the solutions are used in real products. Unlike subsequent chapters, this chapter is not a collection of new material followed by a set of exercises. Instead, this chapter can be thought of as an extended set of exercises. In Section 4.1 to Section 4.15, 15 problems are motivated and described. Each problem is followed by a hint that suggests specific principles, which is then followed by a solution sketch. There are also a few exercises after each solution. In classes and seminars on the topic of this chapter, the audience enjoyed inventing solutions by themselves (after a few hints were provided), rather than directly seeing the final solutions.