Architecture for dynamically adaptive transport protocols

A system for dynamically adapting a transport-layer protocol in a device with at least one network interface and a memory, the transport-layer protocol implemented by a plurality of transport-layer mechanisms, each transport-layer mechanism implementing a specific area of transport-layer functionality, comprising:

• a processor coupled to a local interface;
• a memory coupled to the local interface;
• and
• transport-protocol logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the transport-protocol logic comprising:
• monitor logic configured to detect a change in at least one network performance condition of a network communicatively coupled to the network interface;
• and
• adaptation logic configured to load into the memory a transport-layer mechanism upon a notification by the monitor logic.

A computer readable medium for reconfiguring a transport-layer protocol, the protocol being part of a protocol stack residing in a device with at least one network interface and a memory, the transport-layer protocol implemented by a plurality of transport-layer mechanisms, each transport-layer mechanism implementing a specific area of transport-layer functionality, the program comprising logic for performing the steps of:

• performing an initial load of a first plurality of transport-layer mechanisms into the memory, each of the transport-layer mechanisms residing in a dynamically loadable module;
• unloading from the memory one of the first plurality of transport-layer mechanisms;
• and
• loading into the memory at least one transport-layer mechanism different than the first plurality.