SCTP

Stream Control Transmission Protocol

A transport layer protocol, similar to TCP and UDP. Like TCP, SCTP ensures that data is transported across the network sequentially and without error. SCTP is also similar to TCP in that a relationship is created between the endpoints of an SCTP session before the data is transmitted, and this relationship is maintained until the data transmission is completed.

Unlike TCP, SCTP provides multi-streaming and multi-homing, which increase performance and reliability of the Diameter application message exchange.

Multi-streaming allows data to be partitioned into multiple streams that can be delivered independently, so that message loss in any of the streams only affects delivery within that stream.

Multi-homing is the ability of an SCTP endpoint to support multiple IP addresses, which can mean greater survivability of the session in the presence of network failures. In a single-homed session, the failure of a local LAN access can isolate the end system, while failures within the core network can disrupt transport until the IP routing protocols reconverge around the point of failure. With multi-homed SCTP, redundant LANs can be used to reinforce the local access and, in the core network, the risk of failure from one address can be reduced.