Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!mordor!sri-spam!rutgers!sunybcs!bingvaxu!leah!uwmcsd1!ig!agate!ucbvax!A.ISI.EDU!CERF
From: CERF@A.ISI.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: PSN 7 End-to-End question.
Message-ID: <[A.ISI.EDU].2-Feb-88.19:22:32.CERF>
Date: 3 Feb 88 00:22:00 GMT
References: <8801291809.AA01914@Pescadero>
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 18

Dave,

good questions! There was an attempt at a truly datagram network in
the early 1970's. It was developed by Louis Pouzin and Hubert
Zimmermann and, I think, Gerard LeLann. They worked at IRIA which
is now known as INRIA (National Research Institute on automation and
information processing) in France. The network was called CYCLADES.

I am sorry I don't have references at hand (I am on travel using a small
laptop for comm), but my recollection is that they experienced packet
loss rates up to 48% when the network became congested. The ARPANET E-E
protocols are intended to push back towards the source soon enough to 
avoid sustained loss rates of that magnitude, as I understand them.

Lean and mean often applies best when the resources are plentiful, but
can become a liability if the network is permitted to enter a congested
state.

Vint