Võrgutagavara

Võrgutagavara is an Estonian term that translates to "network buffer" or "network storage." It refers to the temporary storage space used by network devices to hold data packets before they are transmitted or processed. This buffering is crucial for managing the flow of data in networks, especially when there are differences in transmission speeds between devices or when dealing with network congestion.

When a device sends data, it's placed into a network buffer. If the receiving device or the network link can't handle the data as quickly as it's being sent, the buffer holds onto the packets until they can be processed. This prevents data loss that would otherwise occur if packets were simply dropped. Similarly, when a device receives data, it may be placed in a buffer before being passed to the application that needs it.

The size and management of network buffers are important factors in network performance. Insufficient buffer space can lead to dropped packets and increased latency, while excessively large buffers can contribute to higher latency, known as bufferbloat, especially under heavy load. Network administrators often tune buffer sizes and employ various buffering strategies to optimize network throughput and responsiveness for different types of traffic. This concept is fundamental to the operation of routers, switches, and other network infrastructure components.