Network coding combines and compresses packets of information to increase network efficiency, but requires additional processing by client computers. It maximizes network data capacity, but can slow down low-powered systems.
Network coding is a programming technique used to maximize the potential output of a computer network. In network encryption, nodes on the network take an active role, working to combine and compress packets of information before sending them across the network. This allows for more efficient use of network resources, at the cost of additional overhead by client computers, which have to work much harder to “untie” the compressed data.
Network nodes are a bit like the traffic police: they direct the flow of data on a computer network. In the absence of network encryption, nodes move information – packets of data – across the network without taking the liberty of altering or manipulating that data in any substantial way. They could strengthen the signal to ensure data isn’t lost in transit, but the actual packets aren’t affected.
In network coding, nodes are responsible for combining packets as needed to increase network efficiency. For example, if a network is capable of transmitting single 100-byte packets and receives two 50-byte packets at the same time, a system operating in non-network coding will process one 50-byte packet and then the next, moving them around in sequence. A network scrambler, on the other hand, will register the fact that 50 bytes of potential network overhead is “wasted” with each packet and merge the two 50-byte packets into a single 100-byte packet, maximizing data transmission. network data capacity.
This results in an increase in network efficiency. Network encryption regularly uses more of the available bandwidth of the network. In other words, more potential of the network is realized. However, network encryption also has a drawback: bundled packets provide additional “work” for receiving computers.
When a computer receives a packet of information over an unencrypted network, the computer accesses that information individually and immediately. The packages, in this case, are each entirely dedicated to a single process. Receiving a packet of information over a network encrypted network, however, requires the system to decompress and distribute the information related to the different processes into the appropriate areas. This creates additional processing responsibilities for the CPU of the receiving computer, increasing its stress. On low-powered systems or systems with a number of other activities active at the same time, the extra work can cause your computer to slow down or lag.
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