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The document compares connection-oriented and connectionless communication networks, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Connection-oriented networks offer reliable transmission and consistent data flow but have setup delays and resource overhead, while connectionless networks allow for quick data transmission and scalability but suffer from unreliable delivery. The author prefers connection-oriented networks for applications like video calls due to their reliability and suggests improvements for failure recovery.

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8 views

Written Assignment Week 1

The document compares connection-oriented and connectionless communication networks, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Connection-oriented networks offer reliable transmission and consistent data flow but have setup delays and resource overhead, while connectionless networks allow for quick data transmission and scalability but suffer from unreliable delivery. The author prefers connection-oriented networks for applications like video calls due to their reliability and suggests improvements for failure recovery.

Uploaded by

munyendoadam9
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Comparing Connection-Oriented and Connectionless Communication

Networks

Introduction
Communication networks play an important role in how data is transmitted across devices. They
are designed in different ways depending on the purpose, user groups, or the type of
application. Two main types of communication networks are connection-oriented and
connectionless. These two methods differ in how data is sent and the way connections are
managed. Understanding their advantages, disadvantages, and design issues helps determine
when to use each type.

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Advantages and Disadvantages

Connection-Oriented Networks

Advantages:
1. Reliable Transmission: Data is guaranteed to reach its destination because the connection is
set up and maintained until the transfer is complete.
2. Consistent Data Flow: Since a dedicated path is created, data can flow smoothly and
efficiently, especially for large transfers.
3. Error Handling: Errors are detected and corrected during the transmission, which improves
accuracy.

Disadvantages:
1. Setup Time: Before sending any data, time is needed to establish the connection, which can
cause delays.
2. Resource Heavy: A lot of network resources are used to keep the connection active, even if
data isn’t being sent the whole time.
3. Not Ideal for Short Data Transfers: The setup overhead can make it less efficient for small or
occasional data transmissions.
Connectionless Networks

Advantages:
1. Quick Start: Data can be sent immediately without waiting for a connection to be set up.
2. Scalability: Connectionless networks can handle more users at the same time because
there’s no need to maintain connections.
3. Flexible and Resilient: If one part of the network goes down, packets can still reach their
destination through other routes.

Disadvantages:
1. Unreliable Delivery: Since there’s no connection, packets might get lost, arrive out of order, or
be duplicated.
2. Extra Protocols Needed: To ensure reliability, additional systems like acknowledgments or
retransmissions need to be added, which increases complexity.
3. Poor for Streaming: Continuous data flows like video or voice calls don’t work well because
packets don’t follow the same path or arrive in order.

Design Issues

Connection-Oriented Networks
1. State Tracking: The network has to keep track of every active connection, which uses
memory and processing power.
2. Inefficient Resource Use: Once a path is reserved, no one else can use those resources,
even if the connection isn’t sending much data.
3. Failure Recovery: If something goes wrong, the whole connection needs to be re-established,
which can cause delays.

Connectionless Networks
1. Routing Complexity: Every packet needs its own address, which adds extra work for the
network.
2. Fragmentation Issues: Large packets might get split into smaller ones and need to be
reassembled, which can create errors or delays.
3. Congestion Management: Without a dedicated path, it’s harder to control how much traffic is
on the network, which can lead to slowdowns.

My Preference and Suggestions


My Preference: I personally think connection-oriented networks are better for situations like
video calls or streaming because they’re more reliable and keep the data in the right order. It’s
frustrating when a stream buffers or a call drops, so having that steady connection makes a big
difference.

Suggested Improvement: One major problem with connection-oriented networks is recovering


from failures. A good way to fix this is by using backup paths or dynamic rerouting. For example,
using a system like Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) can automatically switch to another
path if something goes wrong, so users won’t even notice the issue.

Conclusion
Both connection-oriented and connectionless networks have their strengths and weaknesses,
and the choice depends on what they’re being used for. Connection-oriented networks are great
for reliability, while connectionless networks are faster and more flexible. By improving areas
like failure recovery or congestion management, these systems can be even better for future
applications.

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References
Tanenbaum, A. S., & Wetherall, D. J. (2011). Computer Networks (5th ed.). Pearson.

Stallings, W. (2017). Data and Computer Communications (10th ed.). Pearson.

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