What technology prioritizes specific types of network traffic?

Quality of Service (QoS) is a networking technology that prioritizes specific types of network traffic to ensure that important data can be transmitted efficiently and without interruption. QoS works by classifying and managing the data packets that flow through the network, allowing for the allocation of bandwidth and priorities according to the characteristics and requirements of different types of traffic.

For example, voice and video communications typically require consistent high performance to maintain quality, so QoS can prioritize these types of traffic over standard data transfers that might tolerate delays. This prioritization helps to reduce latency and improve the overall user experience.

Understanding the role of QoS is crucial in data center design, as it directly impacts how services function over the network, ensuring that mission-critical applications operate effectively in environments with varying loads and traffic conditions.