Definition
Packet loss is the failure of data packets to reach their destination during transmission in a network. It can occur for many reasons, such as faulty hardware, network congestion, software issues, or signal interference. This loss can affect network performance, cause data corruption, and even cut the connection.
Packet Loss Mitigation
- Congestion control: Implement appropriate network use policies, control algorithms, and congestion avoidance techniques to prevent congestion and reduce packet loss.
- Packet retransmission: If the sending device doesn’t get confirmation of packet receipt, it resends a duplicate packet to the destination. While this might control data corruption, it can slow down the network.
- Error correction: Employ techniques such as Forward Error Correction (FEC) to reduce packet loss.
- Network redundancy: introducing redundant paths and network backup systems can enable packets to reach their destination despite network congestion or outages.