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udp

Is UDP Considered to be a "Best-Effort" Service?

I would like to know if UDP is considered to be a "best-effort" service?

The reason I ask is because there are no guarantees that any of the packets will reach their destination/s at all. Therefore, could UDP be classed as "best-effort" or is there another term which is deemed the "correct" way of describing this?

Thanks.

Solution

  • It's not really best effort, more fire and forget. Although the term "best effort" is actually used IMHO it's incorrect, since in non-telecoms usage it implies at least a modicum of effort beyond default behaviour, and often somewhat more than that.

    No part of the network makes any special allowances for any IP packet except when there's Quality of Service in place, and even then that's really hop-by-hop rather than end-to-end.