Flow Control : A Comparative Survey
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Title: Flow Control: A Comparative Survey

Section 1: INTRODUCTION
Description 1: Introduction to packet-switched networks and the necessity for flow control due to dynamic resource sharing and potential congestion.

Section 2: FLOW CONTROL: PROBLEMS, FUNCTIONS, AND MEASURES
Description 2: Explanation of common issues caused by lack of flow control, the main functions, different levels of implementation, and performance measures.

Section 3: LOSS OF EFFICIENCY
Description 3: Details on how inefficient resource allocation leads to throughput degradation in packet networks.

Section 4: UNFAIRNESS
Description 4: Discussion on how uncontrolled competition among users can lead to unfair resource allocation.

Section 5: DEADLOCKS
Description 5: Explanation of deadlocks in packet networks and how they manifest due to cyclic waiting for resources.

Section 6: FLOW CONTROL FUNCTIONS
Description 6: Overview of flow control protocols designed to prevent overload and resource mismatch issues in packet-switched networks.

Section 7: LEVELS OF FLOW CONTROL
Description 7: Detailed classification of flow control mechanisms into different levels, with corresponding responsibilities and effects.

Section 8: PERFOMANCE MEASURES
Description 8: Criteria and quantitative measures used to evaluate the effectiveness of flow control mechanisms.

Section 9: HOP LEVEL FLOW CONTROL
Description 9: Techniques and strategies to prevent buffer congestion between neighboring nodes in a network.

Section 10: Structured Buffer Pool (SBP) Flow Control
Description 10: Description of SBP flow control and its effectiveness in preventing both direct and indirect deadlocks.

Section 11: Virtual Circuit (Hop Level) Flow Control
Description 11: Analysis of Virtual Circuit Hop Level flow control methods and implementations in real networks.

Section 12: ENTRY-TO-EXIT FLOW CONTROL
Description 12: Methods to prevent buffer congestion at the network's exit nodes, including strategies to avoid reassembly and resequence deadlocks.

Section 13: NETWORK ACCESS FLOW CONTROL
Description 13: Techniques to regulate external input traffic based on internal network congestion measurements.

Section 14: TRANSPORT LEVEL FLOW CONTROL
Description 14: Mechanisms to ensure reliable and efficient data transmission between user processes, preventing end-to-end congestion.

Section 15: IMPLEMENTATIONS OF TRANSPORT PROTOCOLS
Description 15: Examination of various transport protocol implementations and their specific flow control mechanisms.

Section 16: CONCLUSIONS AND DIRECTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
Description 16: Summary of the main findings and a discussion on areas requiring further research in flow control mechanisms.