Design and implementation of a DTN Convergence Layer Adapter based on the QUIC protocol

TCP/IP, the protocol suite powering the Internet, makes a few assumptions which do not apply to all networks: it presumes minimal disruption, a sufficiently low error rate and small, consistent latency. Networks that cannot satisfy these assumptions are called challenged networks. The DTN architecture (Delay/Disruption-Tolerant Networking) has the objective of relaxing these implicit requirements in order to support challenged networks. It accomplishes this by introducing a new protocol between Application and Transport, the Bundle Protocol, which transmits self-contained messages (bundles) over a challenged network, crossing multiple DTN hops. The protocol stack used to transfer a bundle to the next DTN node (called Convergence Layer in its entirety) is independent of those used on other hops. For example, TCP/IP can be used in Internet-like networks, while LTP can be used in deep space. The protocol that sends bundles over a specific Convergence Layer is called Convergence Layer Adapter (CLA). One example is the TCPCLA, which transfers bundles over a TCP connection. In 2012, TCP's perceived limitations prompted Google to design a new transport protocol called QUIC, meant to replace TCP in HTTP communications. The objective of this thesis is to design QUICCL, a Convergence Layer Adapter that transfers bundles over a QUIC connection, and develop an implementation for the Unibo-BP implementation of the Bundle Protocol. This document also includes insights into the development of a Wireshark dissector for the newly designed protocol. The work has been carried out at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) located near Munich, in cooperation with the University of Bologna, in parallel with two companion theses by fellow students Luca Andreetti and Valentino Cavallotti. The three theses constitute a larger research project aimed at exploring the usefulness of QUIC in challenged networks. All developed software was released under the GNU GPLv3 license.