"End to End" communication in networks

|Ric|

|Ric|

|Ric|

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I don't mean to seem lazy but I don't quite get my head around this concept. I'm not sure where it is best to post this but as it is a uni course question I figured here was best.
I've looked at my notes, other uni notes, wikipedia, books, google and I still don't quite get what it is in a nice succinct definition.

Could anyone explain it in simple terms?
 
Guessing this should be in the networking forum but;

What context?

I've just been reading up on dial up modems as per a module I was doing, and found this in my notes:

In a packet switched network, the provider configures its switching equipment to create virtual circuits that supply end to end connectivity. Frame relay is the most common, although ATM is still widely used. X.25 is also common
Click to expand...

So I guess in dial up context, that end-to-end connectivity is when there is a connection 'established'... I.E - ready to use?

Seems like rather a broad question to me! Unless i'm missing something.
 
Um can I see that paper without an account?

Nickname I don't think that is right, it is in relation to the layering of functions (e.g. OSI seven layer model) and the fact that any intermediate nodes on the communications link have no knowledge of the layers above it
For TCP, a router will look at the IP header which is pretty simply and not worry about the complications of TCP and having to reorder the packets and request retransmissions, the router just passes them along the line as it were.
Then the final computer deals with TCP, so the TCP peer entities have communicated end to end (sender to receiver and the ip router has no idea if I've sent data using TCP or |Ric|'s super dooper protocol)

Perhaps it would help if I knew what the opposite of end-to-end was called?
I'm only thinking about answering a question along the lines of "Briefly describe end-to-end communication [4 marks]" or something - I'm only writing notes at this stage not getting you lot to answer a homework question!

Cheers,
Ric.
 
Yeh the reason I didn't put it in networking was it was not really anything to do with "Network hardware, configuration and Internet connectivity issues."

It is purely theoretical and I didn't see anywhere more appropriate for a computing theory question
 
|Ric| said:
Perhaps it would help if I knew what the opposite of end-to-end was called?
I'm only thinking about answering a question along the lines of "Briefly describe end-to-end communication [4 marks]" or something - I'm only writing notes at this stage not getting you lot to answer a homework question!
Click to expand...

Right the Transport Layer provides an end to end connection using the lower levels of the OSI model. This means it can provide flow control, congestion control and error correction/detection. In comparison your Data Link layer provides a connection between two adjacent nodes on a network. An example of a protocol of which provides an end to end connection would be TCP.

Thats roughly how I would answer it. The transport layer is only usually found in the end points, between there layer1-3 networking hardware (routers/switches etc) deals with it.

Ignore that MIT paper above I doubt thats what you want :p Lines have become blured these days with the OSI model because it is purely theoretical and in practice its not that clear cut.
 
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Well cheers for that both of you. Agreed, I read the first bit of the paper but it is starting to go over head for this time of night and I think just generally. Certainly more than was needed :)

Cheers,
Ric.
 
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