What are TCP and UDP, and how do they differ from one another?

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One of the key elements of a computer network is the protocols it uses. There are a variety of different protocols for the different functions and layers of a network. As you are probably aware, protocols include the instructions a device or segment of the network uses to move data. As a network engineer, you should be familiar with each protocol, recognize its acronym, know its full name, provide a brief description of what it does, and discuss how it relates to the network.

"TCP and UDP are network protocols built on the top of the internet protocol or IP.
TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol, and UDP stands for Universal Datagram Protocol. Both are used to send bits of data or packets over the internet to an IP address. TCP is slower but more reliable than UDP. In both protocols, transmission occurs sequentially. However, UDP does not maintain the same sequence when it reaches the destination. Also, while TCP tracks the data sent to ensure that no data loss during data transmission, UDP does not."

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"TCP and UDP are layer 4 protocols, and they handle traffic differently. TCP is the protocol that is used when traffic needs to be sent from one network to another in a reliable fashion or in which all the data that is intended to be sent needs to be sent in its entirety without errors or missing packets. Because TCP is considered reliable, it comes at a cost of more overhead traffic that checks on this reliability, and that increases the amount and size of TCP traffic. UDP traffic is most useful when data does not have to be checked and resent. This is more commonly used in voice and video traffic, where data packets do not have to be resent if dropped or a packet is in error since these types of traffic are in real-time."

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How to Answer: What are TCP and UDP, and how do they differ from one another?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Network Engineer job interview.

20. What are TCP and UDP, and how do they differ from one another?

How to Answer

One of the key elements of a computer network is the protocols it uses. There are a variety of different protocols for the different functions and layers of a network. As you are probably aware, protocols include the instructions a device or segment of the network uses to move data. As a network engineer, you should be familiar with each protocol, recognize its acronym, know its full name, provide a brief description of what it does, and discuss how it relates to the network.

Written by William Swansen on September 13th, 2021

Answer Example

"TCP and UDP are network protocols built on the top of the internet protocol or IP.
TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol, and UDP stands for Universal Datagram Protocol. Both are used to send bits of data or packets over the internet to an IP address. TCP is slower but more reliable than UDP. In both protocols, transmission occurs sequentially. However, UDP does not maintain the same sequence when it reaches the destination. Also, while TCP tracks the data sent to ensure that no data loss during data transmission, UDP does not."

Written by William Swansen on September 13th, 2021

Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

Anonymous Answer

"TCP and UDP are layer 4 protocols, and they handle traffic differently. TCP is the protocol that is used when traffic needs to be sent from one network to another in a reliable fashion or in which all the data that is intended to be sent needs to be sent in its entirety without errors or missing packets. Because TCP is considered reliable, it comes at a cost of more overhead traffic that checks on this reliability, and that increases the amount and size of TCP traffic. UDP traffic is most useful when data does not have to be checked and resent. This is more commonly used in voice and video traffic, where data packets do not have to be resent if dropped or a packet is in error since these types of traffic are in real-time."

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