Packet switchingMethod for transmitting data over a computer networkIn telecommunications, packet switching is a method of grouping data into short messages in fixed format, i.e., packets, that are transmitted over a telecommunications network. Packets consist of a header and a payload. The header directs the packet to its destination, where the payload is extracted and used by an operating system, application software, or higher-layer protocols.
Computer networkNetwork that allows computers to share resources and communicate with each otherMetricsAlgorithmsCentralityGroup centralityDegreeMotifClusteringDegree distributionAssortativityDistanceModularityEfficiency ModelsListsCategoriesTopicsSoftwareNetwork scientistsIn computer science, computer engineering, and telecommunications, a network is a group of communicating computers and peripherals known as hosts, which communicate data to other hosts via communication protocols, as facilitated by networking hardware.
Payload (computing)In computing and telecommunications, the payload is the part of transmitted data that is the actual intended message. Headers and metadata are sent only to enable payload delivery and are considered overhead. In the context of a computer virus or worm, the payload is the portion of the malware which performs malicious action. The term is borrowed from transportation, where payload refers to the part of the load that pays for transportation.Header (computing)In information technology, header is supplemental data placed at the beginning of a block of data being stored or transmitted. In data transmission, the data following the header is sometimes called the payload or body. It is vital that header composition follows a clear and unambiguous specification or format, to allow for parsing.
Network addressA network address is an identifier for a node or host on a telecommunications network. Network addresses are designed to be unique identifiers across the network, although some networks allow for local, private addresses, or locally administered addresses that may not be unique. Special network addresses are allocated as broadcast or multicast addresses. These, too, are not unique. In some cases, network hosts may have more than one network address.Bandwidth (computing)In computing, bandwidth is the maximum rate of data transfer across a given path. Bandwidth may be characterized as network bandwidth, data bandwidth, or digital bandwidth.
Trailer (computing)In information technology, a trailer or footer refers to supplemental data (metadata) placed at the end of a block of data being stored or transmitted, which may contain information for the handling of the data block, or simply mark the block's end. In data transmission, the data following the end of the header and preceding the start of the trailer is called the payload or body.
TelecommunicationsTransmission of information electromagneticallyEarth station at the satellite communication facility Raisting Earth Station in Raisting, Weilheim-Schongau, Bavaria, GermanyTelecommunication, often used in its plural form or abbreviated as telecom, is the transmission of information over a distance using electrical or electronic means, typically through cables, radio waves, or other communication technologies.
Transmission mediumA transmission medium is a system or substance that can mediate the propagation of signals for the purposes of telecommunication. Signals are typically imposed on a wave of some kind suitable for the chosen medium. For example, data can modulate sound, and a transmission medium for sounds may be air, but solids and liquids may also act as the transmission medium. Vacuum or air constitutes a good transmission medium for electromagnetic waves such as light and radio waves.
Error detection and correctionIn information theory and coding theory with applications in computer science and telecommunications, error detection and correction (EDAC) or error control are techniques that enable reliable delivery of digital data over unreliable communication channels. Many communication channels are subject to channel noise, and thus errors may be introduced during transmission from the source to a receiver.
Digital dataDigital data or digital information, in information theory and information systems, is data or information represented as a string of discrete symbols, each of which can take on one of only a finite number of values from some alphabet, such as letters or digits. An example is a text document, which consists of a string of alphanumeric characters.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.