AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty Practice Exam

What is the best option for increasing throughput between application tiers in a slower than expected transfer rate scenario?

1. Increase the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)

2. Optimize application code

3. Upgrade the server hardware

4. Implement caching mechanisms

The correct answer is: Increase the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)

Increasing the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) is an effective option for enhancing throughput between application tiers, particularly in scenarios where the transfer rate is slower than expected. MTU defines the size of the largest packet that can be sent over a network. When you increase the MTU, you allow more data to be transmitted in a single packet, which reduces the number of packets sent over the network. This can lead to decreased overhead associated with packet headers, as each packet has its own header that adds additional data to the overall transmission. By lowering the packet count, you reduce the transmission overhead, which can improve the overall throughput of the application, especially in high-latency networks or when dealing with large data transfers. Furthermore, using a larger MTU can also help to reduce fragmentation, which occurs when packets are larger than the MTU supported by the network path. Fragmentation can lead to delays and reduced throughput due to the time required to reassemble these packets at the destination. Hence, adjusting the MTU can be a practical approach for optimizing data flow and achieving better performance. Other strategies like optimizing application code or upgrading server hardware can also improve throughput, but they don't directly address the low transmission rates at the network level as increasing the MTU