Network congestion happens when a network node or link is unable to handle the amount of data it’s receiving, causing a reduction in service quality. This can happen when too many data packets are sent over the network at once, or when resource demands exceed available capacity.
In other words, network congestion occurs when network traffic exceeds the capacity of the network, leading to packet delays, losses, and increased latency. This affects packet switching, causing:
• Increased packet queuing and buffer overflow
• Higher packet loss rates
• Reduced network throughput
• Increased latency and jitter
Mitigation strategies:
• Traffic shaping and policing: control traffic rates and prioritize critical packets
• Congestion avoidance algorithms: detect and prevent congestion (e.g., TCP/IP’s congestion control)
• Network expansion: increase network capacity by adding more bandwidth or nodes
• Quality of Service (QoS): prioritize critical applications and ensure sufficient bandwidth
• Load balancing: distribute traffic across multiple paths or nodes
Destiny Young, Tech Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, and IT Ops Engineer
