Re: [Boost-users] [asio] Detecting tcp peer disconnection

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] [asio] Detecting tcp peer disconnection
From: Jonathan Franklin (franklin.jonathan_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-01-28 11:44:32

On Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 9:26 AM, Igor R <boost.lists_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> I was under impression that it's achievable in some more simple way...

It's basically the silent "drop-off" caused by the cut cable that is hosing you.

Unfortunately, as per the RFC (1122?), keep-alive is an optional
feature, and is off by default.  TCP was basically designed to allow
indefinite operation in the absence of message traffic, which saves
both bandwidth and CPU.  Two commodities which were much more precious
when TCP was invented.  Though, even today, heartbeat-based systems
tend not to scale well.

> Thanks for the clarifcation.

You bet.

And if you come up w/ a scheme using TCP that doesn't require some
form of keep-alive or heartbeat message, then I'm definitely
interested in hearing about it.

Jon