Four Types of Network Failures

Published on: Sept. 29, 2024

Overview

These failures are particularly relevant in the context of TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and network performance analysis. Understanding and addressing these issues is crucial for maintaining efficient and reliable network communications.

Failures in TCP and Network Performance Analysis

Loss

• Occurs when data packets fail to reach their destination
• Can be caused by network congestion, faulty hardware, or signal interference
• Results in missing information and potential data integrity issues

Retransmission

• Happens when the sender must resend data packets that were not acknowledged by the receiver
• Often a result of packet loss or corruption
• Can lead to increased latency and reduced network efficiency

Out of Order

• Occurs when data packets arrive at the destination in a different sequence than they were sent
• Can be caused by network routing changes or packet fragmentation
• Requires the receiving end to reorder packets, potentially causing delays or data misinterpretation

Zero Window

• A situation where the receiver advertises a window size of zero, indicating it cannot accept more data
• Often caused by the receiver's buffer being full
• Results in the sender pausing transmission until the receiver can handle more data

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