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The user datagram protocol is a fast but less reliable network protocol used for data transmission without special channels or data paths. It was designed by David P. Reed in 1980 and is stateless, making it useful for time-sensitive applications and servers handling small requests. However, it provides no safeguards for data integrity and is not suitable for all applications.
The user datagram protocol is one of the main network protocols used to transmit information over the Internet. It is part of the Internet Protocol Suite, which governs how computers communicate with servers and with each other over an Internet Protocol (IP) network. When using the user datagram protocol, an application can send datagrams or messages to other hosts without first setting up special transmission channels or data paths. This allows for faster communication, but is less reliable than other methods.
This protocol was designed in 1980 by American computer scientist David P. Reed of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). After review and testing, the protocol was formally defined in RFC 768. An RFC, or request for comment, is a memorandum issued by the Internet Engineering Task Force, outlining the accepted protocol for using the Internet.
The focus of the user datagram protocol is on data transmission. It provides no safeguards to ensure that information actually arrives or to protect the integrity of data as it moves. The protocol assumes that if error checking is important, the communicating computers will take care of it.
The user datagram protocol is a stateless protocol. This means that it treats each information request as an independent transaction. The advantage of doing it this way is that the server can support more traffic because there is no need to allocate storage space for ongoing conversations.
In some cases, the user datagram protocol is actually preferable to more reliable methods of communication. For example, it allows messages to be delivered without the delay caused by error checking. Time sensitive applications often use it for this reason. A common example of this type of application is streaming media such as Voice over IP.
The user datagram protocol is also useful for servers that handle a huge volume of small requests. Because the server doesn’t need to allocate storage space or set up connections before communicating, it can respond to every single request more quickly. The result is faster service for all users. For this reason, the user datagram protocol is often used by servers that run online games.
Despite its usefulness, the user datagram protocol is not suitable for all applications. Sometimes error correction is required to ensure reliable data delivery. In this case, RFC 768 recommends using the transmission control protocol outlined in RFC 761 instead.
