In Internet Protocol (IP) networking, best-effort service means a network tries to forward packets using the resources and policies available, but does not promise a particular delivery time, bandwidth, loss rate, or end-to-end performance level. Actual performance can change as network load changes.
What “best effort” means
“Best effort” describes the service model, not a guarantee that every packet will arrive or that the connection will be suitable for a particular application. RFC 1633 describes basic IP best-effort delivery as the Internet’s fundamental service model. For elastic applications—those that can make use of whatever capacity is available—the RFC calls this “as-soon-as-possible,” or ASAP, service.
The phrase does not mean a network makes no effort. It means the service does not, by itself, reserve resources or promise a specific result for each packet. RFC 2990 characterizes the Internet’s default service offering as a “best-effort variable service response”: the response can vary with the load generated by active traffic flows.
What best effort does—and does not—promise
- Delivery: The network attempts to forward packets, but “best effort” alone does not guarantee that every packet will arrive.
- Performance: It specifies no fixed latency, throughput, packet-loss rate, or end-to-end performance level. Those can vary with traffic and network conditions.
- Fairness: Best effort does not necessarily mean every flow receives identical treatment or an assured equal share. RFC 5290 discusses rough flow-rate fairness as a useful goal for “simple best-effort traffic,” not a universal guarantee.
RFC 5290 uses “simple best-effort traffic” for traffic that does not rely on differential treatment along the path or admission control. That scoped definition should not be treated as the definition of every use of “best effort.”
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Best-effort service compared with QoS
Quality of Service (QoS) refers to mechanisms that can distinguish traffic and provide a selected service response. Depending on the specific service and implementation, those mechanisms may make performance more predictable or provide superior treatment. Doing so requires network mechanisms and control over admitted load; the label “QoS” alone does not establish a particular guarantee.
| Aspect | Best-effort baseline | Differentiated or QoS service |
|---|---|---|
| Service response | Variable and affected by offered load. | May provide a selected, more predictable response, as defined by the particular service. |
| Resource treatment | No per-flow service commitment follows from the general best-effort definition. | Uses mechanisms to distinguish traffic; resource or load controls may be needed. |
| Guarantees | No specific latency, throughput, loss, or delivery guarantee follows from the term alone. | Any guarantee depends on the service definition and its implementation. |
| What an endpoint can assume | It cannot assume a particular behavior across an unknown network path. | Behavior still depends on the mechanisms and policies deployed along the path. |
Why a packet marking is not an end-to-end promise
A packet may carry a marking intended to request particular handling, but an endpoint cannot assume that every network on the path will honor it. RFC 7657’s discussion of lower-effort service notes that networks may not offer that service and may handle its marking differently. A marking is therefore not, by itself, proof of the forwarding behavior a packet will receive.
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