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buffer - technical definition
- A region of memory that temporarily stores data in a networking device, commonly to compensate for congestion at an incoming or outgoing port on a concentrator, multiplexer, switch, or router. If, for example, the level of incoming traffic exceeds the resources of a switch, a buffer at the incoming switch port can temporarily store the excess traffic until the switch has sufficient resources to process the traffic. If the level of outgoing traffic exceeds the capacity of the circuit, a buffer at the outgoing switch port can temporarily store the excess traffic until the circuit can accommodate it. A buffer also can serve to store packet data temporarily to allow retransmission in the event that a downstream device does not receive the packet without error within an acceptable period of time.
- A standalone storage device specifically designed to store data until such time as it is downloaded by another device for processing. A PBX system, for example, commonly outputs call detail records to a buffer, which stores them in temporary memory until a centralized poller accesses the buffer and downloads the data for subsequent processing into various call detail reports for purposes of cost allocation and management, traffic analysis, and security analysis.
- Electrically powered mechanical device that rotates abrasive pads for cleaning floors. Buffers are known to cause network problems when plugged into shared outlets by injecting electrical noise or blowing fuses. Note: It is always a good idea to make sure that a computer system has access to clean power, i.e., a dedicated circuit that, by definition, will be free of power dips caused by buffers and other devices. See also CDR and register.
- A protective material sometimes extruded directly on the acrylate coating of an optical fiber to further allow individual fibers to be handled easily during installation, while protecting them from physical damage. A tight buffered cable is used for short jumper cables and many other indoor applications where the temperature is controlled and the differences in thermal expansion and contraction are not so great between the buffer and fiber as to cause bending, which ultimately can lead to cracking and breaking of the fiber. See also loose-tube cable.
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