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Sneakernet refers to the transfer of data using physical media instead of electronic networks. It can be used for secure transfer of sensitive materials, timely movement of large amounts of information, or circumventing lack of network infrastructure. Sneakernet has real-world applications in cases where an electronic network is lacking or non-existent.
The term sneakernet can be used in any case where physical media are used to transfer data between computers, rather than using an electronic network. This can be as simple as running actual paper files from one end of a business or academic complex to the other, or like sending large amounts of data via airplane or other transportation methods. Experiments have also been done with homing pigeons, with the birds carrying data via Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory modules strapped to their legs. Some purposes of a sneakernet may include the secure transfer of sensitive materials, the timely movement of large amounts of information, or even circumventing the lack of an electronic network infrastructure.
One of the simplest uses of a sneakernet might be to move sensitive documents via physical media. This type of transfer generally disregards any of the other possible benefits of a sneakernet, as its primary purpose is to circumvent the security issues associated with transferring data over a network. This use may involve actually delivering the information via physical media or sending encrypted data over an electronic network and then using a courier to deliver the encryption key. Each of these can add an extra layer of security to the transfer of important documents or codes.
The idea of a sneakernet has been used in academic contexts as an example that helps demonstrate a relationship between bandwidth and latency. Bandwidth refers to the speed with which a system transfers information, while latency is the time it takes for a single unit, or packet, of data to reach its destination. Electronic networks typically seek to achieve low levels of latency, while a sneakernet can exhibit very high latency but also demonstrate potentially high bandwidth. While it can take many hours for data delivered via a vehicle such as a car or aircraft to arrive, that vehicle can carry a large enough amount of data that the throughput of an electronic network in the same period of time can actually be achieved o passed .
This idea has real-world applications in cases where an electronic network is lacking or non-existent. In some cases, telescopes or other types of monitoring installations need to transfer large amounts of data to offsite facilities. When network infrastructure is not available for efficient information transfer, airplanes can be used to move information via hard disk drives (HDDs) or other high-capacity physical media. While the latency of such a transfer is measured in hours, this is one example where a sneakernet can achieve acceptable throughput.
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