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I was confused by the reference to “lossy” networks in this page. Does this have a different meaning in this context than something like lossy compression where
by docandrew 3y ago
I was confused by the reference to “lossy” networks in this page. Does this have a different meaning in this context than something like lossy compression where data is actually discarded?
- wmf 3y agoIt means packets may be dropped, usually due to congestion.
- drewtato 3y agoI think it means error correction would be handled by a higher level.
- rincebrain 3y agoEthernet, unlike, say, Infiniband, doesn't promise things will get where you sent them just because it didn't error initially, so other protocols handle this at higher levels to notice the failure cases.* For an example of what this means, try setting your MTU above the limit, and watch the raw traffic. * - it's been years since I cared about the formal definition, my apologies if I got it wrong.
- networkchad 3y agoYou are correct in general. Lossy = no guarantee mechanism / state-based acceptance; it’s handled by a higher level proto (tcp).
- spoonjim 3y agoAll networks are “lossy” because any cable can be cut, etc. A “lossy” protocol is one that doesn’t attempt to compensate for that. In most cases, but not all, that means a higher level protocol will need to ensure that every bit of data has made it through. (An example protocol that might not care is one for watching broadcast TV on the Internet… if you miss a few seconds it’s not a big deal).