NPTEL Online Certification Courses

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Jan 2025

Course Name: Computer Networks and Internet Protocol

Assignment - Week 5 (Jan 2025)
TYPE OF QUESTION: MCQ/MSQ
Number of questions: 10 Total mark: 10 X 1 = 10

QUESTION 1

How does the TCP Sliding Window mechanism contribute to efficient data transmission?

a) By retransmitting all data upon detecting a single packet loss

b) By dynamically adjusting the size of the transmission window
c) By sending data in fixed-size packets regardless of network conditions
d) By prioritizing specific data packets for faster delivery

Correct Answer: (b)

Detailed solution: The TCP Sliding Window mechanism ensures efficient data transmission by
dynamically adjusting the size of the transmission window based on the receiver's buffer capacity and
network conditions. This allows TCP to send data continuously while ensuring that the receiver is not
overwhelmed. It also prevents unnecessary retransmissions and optimizes the use of available
network bandwidth. Unlike fixed-size windows, the sliding window adapts to real-time feedback
from the receiver and the network, making it a core feature of TCP's reliability and flow control.

QUESTION 2

What is a potential drawback of Nagle's algorithm?

a) Increased error rate

b) Increased latency for small packets
c) Reduced bandwidth utilization
d) Inefficient congestion control

Correct Answer: (b)

Detailed solution: Nagle's algorithm can introduce additional latency for small packets, as it waits
for either an acknowledgment of the last packet or enough data to fill the MSS before sending. This
can be undesirable in applications requiring low-latency communication.
 NPTEL Online Certification Courses
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Jan 2025

QUESTION 3

Which mechanism is used to avoid Silly Window Syndrome at the receiver side?

a) Delayed acknowledgment
b) Nagle’s algorithm
c) Clark’s solution
d) Fast retransmit

Correct Answer: (c)

Detailed solution: Clark’s solution is used to avoid SWS at the receiver's side. It prevents the receiver
from advertising a small window size until the buffer can hold a significant amount of data.

QUESTION 4

What impact does a higher α value have on Jacobson’s algorithm?

a) It makes SRTT more sensitive to sudden RTT changes.

b) It reduces the impact of new RTT measurements on SRTT.
c) It increases the weight of RTTVAR in RTO calculation.
d) It eliminates the need for RTTVAR.

Correct Answer: (b)

Detailed solution: In Jacobson’s algorithm, α\alphaα controls the smoothing of SRTT. A higher
α\alphaα places more emphasis on historical RTT values, reducing the influence of new RTT
measurements. This leads to a slower adaptation to sudden RTT changes, which may provide more
stability but less responsiveness. Conversely, a lower α\alphaα increases sensitivity to sudden RTT
variations but can make SRTT less stable.
 NPTEL Online Certification Courses
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Jan 2025

QUESTION 5

When does TCP enter the Congestion Avoidance phase?

a)When ssthresh (slow start threshold) is reached

b) After three duplicate acknowledgments

c) When the receiver's buffer is full

d) After the congestion window is halved

Correct Answer: (a)

Detailed Solution:TCP transitions from Slow Start to Congestion Avoidance once the congestion window
size exceeds the ssthresh.

QUESTION 6

If the Checksum field in the UDP header is set to 0, what does it indicate?

a) The checksum is not computed.

b) The checksum failed.
c) The checksum is valid.
d) The checksum is reserved for future use.

Correct Answer: (a)

Detailed Solution: A checksum value of 0 in UDP indicates that the sender did not compute the
checksum. This is allowed only in IPv4, but in IPv6, the checksum is mandatory.

QUESTION 7
 NPTEL Online Certification Courses
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Jan 2025

What is the purpose of the pseudo-header used in the UDP checksum calculation?

a) To verify data integrity across multiple networks

b) To include additional information like source and destination IPs
c) To ensure compatibility with TCP
d) To pad the UDP datagram to a fixed size

Correct Answer: b)

Detailed Solution: The pseudo-header includes the source IP, destination IP, protocol, and UDP
length. It is used in the checksum calculation to verify data integrity.

QUESTION 8

What does the listen() function do in socket programming?

a) It binds a socket to an address.

b) It puts the socket into a passive mode to wait for incoming connections.
c) It actively connects to a server socket.
d) It sends data over the socket.

Correct Answer: (b)

Detailed Solution: The listen () function sets up a socket to accept incoming connections by
placing it in a passive listening mode.

QUESTION 9

Which function can be used to configure socket options like timeout or buffer size?

a) setsockopt()
b) sockopt()
c) configure()
d) options()

Correct Answer: a)
 NPTEL Online Certification Courses
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Jan 2025

Detailed Solution : The setsockopt() function is used to configure various socket options, such as
timeout values, buffer sizes, and other protocol-specific settings.

QUESTION 10

What is the advantage of an iterative server over a concurrent server?

a) It is faster in handling multiple requests.

b) It is easier to implement and debug.
c) It supports asynchronous I/O.
d) It has lower response times for high-traffic scenarios.

Correct Answer: (b)

Detailed Solution: An iterative server is simpler to implement and debug due to its sequential
nature, making it easier to manage compared to concurrent server models.