Simple definition
A set of mechanisms that give different priority to certain network flows.
Technical definition
Quality of Service class, brand, queue or limit traffic according to rules to better manage bandwidth and latency.
What is it used for ?
Prioritize voice, limit certain uses and maintain the quality of sensitive applications.
Practical example
A company can give higher priority to packages VoIP compared to large downloads.
Common issues
- Poor traffic classification
- Upstream saturation impossible to correct only in LAN
- Missized priority files
Related terms
Key takeaway: This entry explains the general operation of the term. Exact settings may vary depending on software, vendors and environments.