What are Maximum Transmission Units?

Maximum Transmission Units (MTU) refer to the largest size of a packet that can be transmitted over a network. It is determined by the network’s protocol and hardware limitations. MTU affects the efficiency and performance of data transmission. A larger MTU allows for sending more data at once, reducing overhead. However, if the MTU is too large, it may cause fragmentation or packet loss.

Example Scenario: Configurating a Network

The default MTU size for Ethernet frames is 1500 bytes. During testing, the administrator notices a high network overhead due to frequent packet fragmentation when sending large files. The network administrator determines incorporating Jumbo Frames will reduce fragmentation and enhance data transfer.

Example Scenario: Configurating a Network with Jumbo Frames

Jumbo Frames increase the MTU size beyond the standard 1500 bytes. Typically, Jumbo Frames allow an MTU size of up to 10.2KB bytes. By increasing the MTU, Jumbo Frames reduce the number of packets needed to transmit large amounts of data. This results in lower CPU usage and network congestion, especially for high-bandwidth applications. However, both network devices must support Jumbo Frames for proper functionality.

Content created by Mike Day