Ethernet has become the backbone of nearly all modern networks, whether at home, in the office, or in large-scale data centers, where speeds range from 1G to as high as 100G or even 400G. However, there’s one often-overlooked aspect where you can truly optimize your network: the MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit).
While most ISPs and users stick to the default MTU of 1500, I’ve gradually been transitioning my entire network to an MTU of 9000, also known as Jumbo Frames.
Handling larger packets is, in my opinion, one of the ultimate challenges in networking. It typically requires effort on both the software (ensuring compatibility) and hardware (proper configuration) sides.
Despite these challenges, I’m committed to moving everything to MTU 9000. The benefits make it well worth the effort: data transfers are faster, switches have less processing overhead, and network cards on the PCI bus experience less strain, leading to more efficient overall performance.
To monitor the path and ensure the MTU stays at 9000 across your network, tools like “tracepath” on Linux/BSD can be invaluable, helping you track and optimize packet flow.
Last updated on 2024:10:12 at 03:36 UTC