In: Computer Science
At Transport layer of Networks, we use segments to send data across.
1. Argue for using larger segments by discussing briefly why larger segments could be beneficial.
2. Then also argue why using small segments may be beneficial.
At the Transport layer of Networks, data is sent across in segments. In fact, the data packets are segmented in smaller units to transmit over the network.
1) Argue for using larger segments by discussing briefly
why larger segments could be beneficial.
* Using larger segments or datagrams could be beneficial when large
amounts of data need to be transmitted all at once or in very fewer
segments, taking chances or risks, considering the fact the network
is unreliable, and data (large amounts of data due to larger
segments), could be lost.
* This could be beneficial when a TCP application at the sender end wants to write multiple data blocks in sequence attempting to use the largest segment size it can for the data transfer into the network connection, however within the limits of the receiver's maximum segment size, the configured sender's maximum segment size, and the network path's maximum supportable non-fragmented packet size i.e., path Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU), the remote reader or the receiver receives these multiple data blocks in a single read operation.
2) Then also argue why using small segments may be
beneficial.
* Using small segments or datagrams may be beneficial because, when
the data packets are larger than the supported Maximum Transmission
Unit (MTU) by the network.
* When the network becomes unreliable, data segments sent across
can be lost, especially when larger data segments are sent, and
when they are lost, large amounts of data are lost.
* Smaller data segments each called Protocol Data Units (PDUs) are
encapsulated into packets. These packets are sent on multiple paths
to the destination increasing reliability and speed of the data
traveling across a network.
* Loss of any single packet can be retransmitted.
Hence, it is recommended to divide the data or information into smaller segments to increase the chances or probability of every small data segments delivering correctly to the destination, and even if these data segments are lost, not many of these small data segments would be lost all at once. Hence, losing only a small amount of data or information in turn.