Research On Protocols

Hi All,

I believe I am posting to an appropriate list and target audience (if
not, please point me to a more suitable mailing list or forum).

I am conducting research for a Masters degree. I am studying the short
comings, design oversites, or general unwanted behaviour of common
networking protocols, that affects end users and applications that run
over networks using these protocols (like Ethernet, MPLS, IP, UDP, TCP
etc). An example of this would be that Ethernet has no TTL, so that is
one good reason to have some form of spanning tree protocol on a
network with redundant links (but spanning tree is also flawed).
Another example; TCP has to ACK a lot, now we have Selective
Acknowledgements which is useful for LFNs.

Can anyone show or tell me where I might find some good research on
common protocols? Or perhaps give me some pointers on what to look for
my self?

So far, the vast majority of research I pull up is about TCP
congestion control, so I'd like to find something different if
possible.

Many thanks,
James.