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BE (Best Effort)

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Introduction

Best Effort (BE) is a type of network service that offers a non-deterministic quality of service (QoS) level to users. It is an internet service provider (ISP) that offers bandwidth on a first-come, first-served basis, with no guarantees about the quality of service. BE is one of the most common network services that ISPs offer to users. In this article, we will discuss Best Effort in detail, including its definition, history, and applications.

Definition

Best Effort is a type of service that provides no guarantee about the quality of service or delivery time of packets transmitted through a network. It is a default service that ISPs offer to users, without any extra charges. The main characteristic of the BE service is that it offers no guarantee of bandwidth or latency. BE is a service that assumes that all traffic is equal and that the network will transmit packets as fast as it can. It is a non-deterministic service that is subject to congestion and other network conditions.

History

The concept of Best Effort dates back to the early days of the internet. In the early 1990s, the internet was growing at an exponential rate, and there was a need for a service that would allow users to send and receive data without any guarantees. At the time, the internet was a best-effort service, and users had to rely on the network to deliver their packets. In the early days of the internet, the BE service was the only service available.

Applications

Best Effort is the default service that ISPs offer to users, and it is used for a variety of applications. Some of the applications that use Best Effort are:

  1. Web browsing
  2. Email
  3. Online gaming
  4. Video streaming
  5. VoIP
  6. File sharing

These applications require a service that is fast and reliable, but they do not require a guarantee of bandwidth or latency. BE is a good fit for these applications because it offers a high level of performance without any guarantees.

Advantages

The main advantage of Best Effort is that it is a simple and cost-effective service to provide. ISPs do not have to invest in expensive infrastructure to provide BE to users. BE is a service that assumes that all traffic is equal, and it does not require any prioritization. This makes it easy for ISPs to offer the service without any additional costs.

Another advantage of Best Effort is that it is a flexible service. BE can be used for a variety of applications, and it can be used in conjunction with other services, such as Quality of Service (QoS) or Traffic Shaping. This makes it a versatile service that can be adapted to meet the needs of different applications.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage of Best Effort is that it is a non-deterministic service. BE does not guarantee bandwidth or latency, which means that packets can be delayed or dropped during transmission. This can lead to a reduction in the quality of service for users.

Another disadvantage of Best Effort is that it can be subject to congestion. If the network is congested, packets may be delayed or dropped, which can lead to a reduction in the quality of service for users.

Conclusion

Best Effort is a type of network service that offers a non-deterministic quality of service level to users. It is a simple and cost-effective service that is used for a variety of applications, such as web browsing, email, online gaming, video streaming, VoIP, and file sharing. The main advantage of Best Effort is that it is a flexible service that can be used in conjunction with other services, such as QoS or Traffic Shaping. The main disadvantage of Best Effort is that it is a non-deterministic service that does not guarantee bandwidth or latency, which can lead to a reduction in the quality of service for users. Additionally, Best Effort can be subject to congestion, which can further impact the performance of the service.

Overall, Best Effort is a useful service that is widely used in the internet industry. However, its limitations should be taken into account when considering its use for specific applications. In some cases, a more deterministic service with guaranteed bandwidth and latency may be necessary to ensure the best possible performance for users.