Computer Science – 1.3 Compression | e-Consult
1.3 Compression (1 questions)
Login to see all questions.
Click on a question to view the answer
Using compression in a network environment offers significant advantages. Reduced bandwidth usage is a primary benefit, allowing more data to be transmitted within a given time frame and reducing network congestion. This is particularly important for bandwidth-constrained networks like mobile networks or satellite connections. Faster data transfer speeds are also achieved due to the smaller data size. Furthermore, compression can reduce latency in some cases, as less data needs to be transmitted.
However, there are also disadvantages:
- Computational Overhead: Compression and decompression require processing power, which can add to the overall network load, especially on devices with limited resources.
- Increased CPU Usage: Both the sender and receiver need to perform compression and decompression, increasing CPU usage on both ends of the network.
- Potential for Errors: While compression aims to preserve data, errors during compression or decompression can lead to data corruption. Robust error detection and correction mechanisms are often needed.
- Compatibility Issues: The sender and receiver must support the same compression algorithm for effective data transfer. Incompatible algorithms can lead to data loss or transmission failures.