Meaning
Data storage arrays temporarily hold incoming packets of a media stream or network transmission to smooth out arrival time variations caused by network congestion. Network devices use a transit jitter buffer to reorder packets and deliver a continuous stream of data to the playback or processing application. This mechanism defines the boundary between smooth packet delivery and packet drop events.
Latency Impact
Increased storage capacity increases the total delay of the data path. Large buffers protect against packet drops but introduce noticeable delay in real-time communication. This balance is critical for interactive systems.
Buffer Operation
The network interface receiver writes arriving packets into a circular memory buffer according to their sequence numbers. If a packet arrives out of order or experiences transit delays, the buffer holds the subsequent data to wait for the missing packet. If the missing packet does not arrive before the playback window closes, it is discarded.
This continuous queuing manages arrival time differences at the cost of memory and latency.
Adaptive Strategy
Adaptive systems adjust the buffer size in real time based on recent network congestion measurements. During periods of stable transit times, the buffer size is reduced to minimize delay. Implementing these dynamic rules maintains voice and video quality.
