[e2e] tcp connection timeout

[Joe Touch]

Vadim Antonov wrote:
> On Wed, 1 Mar 2006, David P. Reed wrote:
> 
>> Actually, there is no reason why a TCP connection should EVER time out 
>> merely because no one sends a packet over it.
> 
> The knowledge that connectivity is lost (i.e. that there's no *ability* to
> send information before the need arises) is valuable.

Perhaps, but that's not what TCP provides. TCP sends data reliably. If
you aren't sending anything, there's nothing to complain about.

As to "releasing resources", TCP preserves only the resources that
affect sending data reliably. There's no utility to that end in cleaning
up old connections; they're reset only when a new connection collides,
which is in keeping with the concept that state needs to be adjusted
only when it affects the reliable transmission of data.

Joe