David Barrett wrote:
So I'm having a discussion with a friend, and we're debating what
seems like an obvious point:
Is it actually any cheaper to send a 0-byte UDP packet than to send
one that is sized at the MTU?
Yes, significantly.
Every byte gets sent over whatever link technology you're using (and
extra bytes of padding, for some technologies like ATM). Until your link
speed is infinite, the time occupied on the link by your packet (and
unavailable for other people's packets or your next packet) is finite,
non-zero, and proportional to the number of bytes you're sending of
payload. Your assumption that Ethernet, for instance, takes a nonzero
amount of time to send the payload bytes of your packet is correct.
It also occupies more RAM in every router it stops at.
Matthew Kaufman
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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