What does PDU mean in NETWORKING

A Packet Data Unit (PDU) is a digital communication protocol used for transporting data, signals or messages between nodes in a network. It contains all the necessary information needed to route and deliver data packets from one location to another. PDUs are used in various communication systems such as computer networks, cellular networks, radio communications and satellite communications.

A PDU works by encapsulating or enclosing data for transmission from one node to another in the network. When a data packet is sent out from a source node, it includes the destination address and other relevant information within the PDU payload. ThePDU header contains instructions that help routers identify and forward the data packet through multiple hops until it reaches its intended destination.

A PDU consists of two main components - a header and payload. The header contains details about where the data will be going, who will receive it, what type of system it is being sent to etc. The payload holds the actual content which could be text, audio, video, images or any other type of digital file.

Encapsulation means wrapping up data into fixed-length chunks or units which can then be transmitted over a communication channel more efficiently. This process occurs when sending PDUs since they must be divided into small pieces called 'packets' before they are transmitted across the network so that they arrive at their destination intact.

There are several different protocols which use PDUs including TCP/IP, UDP, Ethernet and ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode). These protocols allow computers connected via different networking technologies to communicate with each other over long distances with accuracy and reliability.

One advantage of using packet-switched networks with PDUs is that they can provide faster delivery times than traditional circuit switching methods because each packet is routed separately over an optimal path rather than along predetermined paths like circuits do. Additionally, using smaller sizes for packets reduces congestion on networks while also increasing fault tolerance since any lost packets can be recovered or re-sent without impacting performance too much.

Error correction occurs when there are errors detected during transmission in order for the receiving device to accurately interpret the message or signal that was sent by the source device(s). Error correction involves detecting errors within a message then replacing any incorrect bits with original ones from parity checking algorithms such as CRC (cyclic redundancy check) or polynomial codes like Viterbi decoding which uses convolutional coding techniques with feedback pathways.

Encryption helps protect sensitive information being transferred among devices over networks by turning plaintext messages into cipher text messages using complex algorithms such as AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) employed by many organizations for secure data transmission. Any unauthorized access to confidential information can only be made if encryption keys previously agreed upon by both sender and receiver are known.