Network Jitter and VOIP
Network jitter, or jitter, is the name given to a variation in the time delay between packet arrival. This concept is better explained using the illustration below.
In the above illustration, the gaps between each of the packets represent the time it takes for each packet to reach the destination. Jitter is shown by the uneven gaps between packets two and three, as well as three and four.
In a perfect world, every packet should arrive at a set amount of time after the preceding packet. In reality, there are many factors to take into consideration when jitter is experienced. Sometimes the cause of jitter is beyond your control, since issues may arise outside your network.
The effect Jitter has on network applications can vary. It is unlikely for a user surfing the internet to report a problem that is a result of jitter. Other real time services, such as VOIP, can experience serious problems related to jitter. Lucky for us, many vendors (including Cisco) build provisions into their routers that can compensate for jitter.
On Cisco routers, the playout delay buffer (PDB) is the mechanism that is used to compensate for jitter. The PDB stores the incoming packets and then sends them to the next destination as a steady stream. This buffering process is similar to that used with other real-time protocols such as those used for audio and video. The ultimate goal of the buffer is to negate any jitter by relaying the packets as a steady stream. An illustration of the packets before and after the playout delay buffer does its job is shown below.
The buffer can only compensate for packets that are delayed within a specified range. If packets start to arrive outside of the working range of the buffer, those packets are dropped. With VOIP a dropped packet can mean the loss of some of the audio, which can make part of a conversation seem choppy.
In a Cisco router, the playout delay buffer sends a steady stream of packets to the digital signal processors. The main job of the DSP is to convert the audio from digital to analog. A secondary function of the DSP is to compensate for missing packets. If a packet is missing, the DSP can make an educated guess as to the contents of the missing packet and insert that missing piece into the audio stream. The result is that the end user never hears a difference. The DSP can only compensate for a finite amount of dropped packets before the end users start to notice an effect on call quality.
Jitter can present some interesting problems, particularly when you are dealing with real-time services. Cisco has built some provisions into their routers to help counter some of the effects of jitter.