Computer Networking Concepts and Golf Analogies

Vocabulary flashcards covering store-and-forward transmission, queuing delay, circuit switching, packet switching, and golf analogies based on lecture notes.

Sending Host (Golf Analogy)

Me on the tee box.

Packet (Golf Analogy)

The golf ball.

Switch (Golf Analogy)

A checkpoint or Marshall halfway down the hole.

Receiving Host (Golf Analogy)

The hole / green.

Packet Size ($L$)

The size of a packet, representing how many bits of information need to be sent.

First Path Speed ($R_1$)

The speed of the first path, representing how many bits per second can travel on the first line from sender to checkpoint.

Second Path Speed ($R_2$)

The speed of the second path, representing how many bits per second can travel from the checkpoint to the green.

Store-and-forward

A transmission property where the switch must receive the whole packet before it can send it onward.

Total Transmission Time Formula

$\frac{L}{R_1} + \frac{L}{R_2}$, calculated by adding the time for the first trip to the time for the second trip.

Network Queuing Delay

The delay experienced when users exceed link capacity (such as a cart path with room for $2\,\text{Mbps}$ where each golfer takes $1\,\text{Mbps}$) and extra users must wait.

Circuit Switching

A networking method analogous to reserving dedicated golf cart lanes; no one else can use the reserved space even if the users stop or are not using the lane.

Packet Switching

A networking method where no significant delay occurs when two or fewer users transmit at once, but queuing starts once users send over capacity until the line has space.