An algebraic decongestant

A BIT of congestion can quickly lead to a big slowdown. This is as true of the internet as it is of driving. When a file is transmitted over a network it is divided into packets, or chunks of data, which are re-assembled in the same order at the other end. Many networking protocols recognise when a packet is missing, as they are numbered to keep track. Responses vary, but protocols which guarantee a packet’s delivery, like the ubiquitous TCP used on local networks and across the internet, rely on acknowledgement of each packet’s receipt. If a receiver fails to do so, or takes too long to respond, the sender will dispatch missing bundles again. This can have huge effects on throughput—its net speed after addressing information, metadata and other factors are removed.

Read more: http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2012/12/network-speeds