Exploiting QUIC multi-streaming over NTN: delay-based scheduling policies

Abstract

We analyze the performance of QUIC over Non-Terrestrial-Networks (NTN). The presence of this transport protocol has strongly increased since it was originally proposed, but its behavior over wireless networks is still an open question. We focus on NTN, which will play a key role in forthcoming cellular systems, and whose underlying connectivity exhibits a highly variable behavior. We show that using multiple streams, which is one of the most relevant advantages of QUIC, yields performance improvements. We then propose a delay-based scheduler, based on dynamic queuing control, and we compare its behavior with that exhibited by legacy solutions. We carry out an extensive experiment campaign exploiting a novel methodology that combines virtualization techniques, real QUIC implementation, and ns-3 to model NTN links. The results show that the proposed scheduling policies fairly distribute the delay between streams, without jeopardizing the throughput, even under very high load situations.