How can you reduce latency issues with real-time applications?

Latency is the delay between sending and receiving data over a network. It can affect the performance and quality of real-time applications, such as voice, video, or gaming, that require fast and smooth communication. How can you reduce latency issues with real-time applications? Here are some tips and best practices for network engineers.

1 Understand your network

The first step to reduce latency is to understand your network topology, traffic patterns, and bottlenecks. You can use tools like ping, traceroute, or network monitoring software to measure and analyze the latency of different paths and segments in your network. You can also use simulation tools to test how your network behaves under different scenarios and loads.

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Cornelius Bruce

IT Enthusiast | IT Support | Networking | CCTV |Mixologist
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Decreasing delays in real-time apps is vital for a smooth user experience.Enhance network framework by minimizing jumps & using content delivery networks (CDNs) to bring information closer to users.Use data compression methods to shrink payload sizes,improving transmission velocity.Execute caching systems for often accessed information,lessening repetitive requests.Utilize load balancing to efficiently disperse traffic & prevent bottlenecks.Prioritize traffic with Quality of Service (QoS) configurations to guarantee real-time data gets priority.Regularly observe & analyze network execution, quickly fixing problems to keep low latency levels.Executing these tactics boosts the responsiveness of real-time apps,ensuring optimum user engagement.

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2 Optimize your routing

The second step to reduce latency is to optimize your routing protocols and policies. You can use dynamic routing protocols, such as OSPF or EIGRP, to automatically adjust the routes based on the network conditions and avoid congested or faulty links. You can also use static routing or policy-based routing to manually define the best routes for specific applications or destinations.

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Cristian Critelli

EMEA Lead Networking & Resilience Specialist Partner Solution Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS) [ex Microsoft Azure]
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In my humble opinion, to reduce latency for real-time applications, optimize routing by implementing shortest-path first algorithms like OSPF or EIGRP. Utilize Quality of Service (QoS) to prioritize real-time traffic, ensuring minimal delay. Implement BGP efficiently for wider network reach. Consider MPLS for efficient label-based routing. Regularly update routing tables to avoid congested paths. For cloud-based applications, use direct connections like AWS Direct Connect or Azure ExpressRoute for a more reliable, faster link to cloud services.

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3 Implement QoS

The third step to reduce latency is to implement quality of service (QoS) mechanisms on your network devices. QoS allows you to prioritize and manage the traffic based on the application type, source, destination, or other criteria. You can use QoS features, such as classification, marking, queuing, shaping, or policing, to assign different levels of service and bandwidth to different traffic classes and ensure that the real-time applications get the highest priority and the lowest latency.

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4 Reduce packet size

The fourth step to reduce latency is to reduce the packet size of your real-time applications. Smaller packets can travel faster and more efficiently through the network, reducing the transmission and processing delays. You can use compression techniques, such as codecs or algorithms, to reduce the size of the voice or video data without compromising the quality. You can also use fragmentation or segmentation to split larger packets into smaller ones.

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5 Avoid jitter and packet loss

The fifth step to reduce latency is to avoid jitter and packet loss, which are variations in the delay and delivery of packets. Jitter and packet loss can cause distortion, gaps, or interruptions in the real-time applications, affecting the user experience and satisfaction. You can use jitter buffers, which are temporary storage areas that collect and smooth out the incoming packets before sending them to the application. You can also use error correction or retransmission techniques, such as forward error correction (FEC) or automatic repeat request (ARQ), to recover or resend the lost or corrupted packets.

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Cristian Critelli

EMEA Lead Networking & Resilience Specialist Partner Solution Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS) [ex Microsoft Azure]
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To minimize jitter and packet loss, prioritize Quality of Service (QoS) settings to ensure traffic prioritization, especially for real-time applications. Use traffic shaping and policing to manage bandwidth and prevent congestion. Implement robust error correction protocols like TCP for reliable transmission. Regularly monitor network performance to identify and rectify congestion points. Use redundant network paths to provide failover options, ensuring consistent traffic flow. In cloud environments, leverage services like AWS Direct Connect or Azure ExpressRoute for stable, dedicated network connections.

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6 Tune your application

The sixth step to reduce latency is to tune your application settings and parameters to match the network conditions and requirements. You can adjust the codec, bitrate, resolution, frame rate, or buffer size of your voice or video application to optimize the trade-off between quality and latency. You can also use adaptive streaming or multiplexing techniques, such as adaptive bitrate (ABR) or scalable video coding (SVC), to dynamically adjust the quality and bandwidth of the stream based on the network feedback and availability.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you reduce latency issues with real-time applications?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Understand your network

2 Optimize your routing

3 Implement QoS

4 Reduce packet size

5 Avoid jitter and packet loss

6 Tune your application

7 Here’s what else to consider

Network Engineering

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How can you reduce latency issues with real-time applications?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Understand your network

2 Optimize your routing

3 Implement QoS

4 Reduce packet size

5 Avoid jitter and packet loss

6 Tune your application

7 Here’s what else to consider

Network Engineering

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