What is a Discard?

14 Feb 2023

In Ethernet, there are many names, shortcuts and explanations for different functions. Discards is one of them

 

APPLICABLE PRODUCTS

Osiris, Atlas, Mercury, Osiris as a Software, Switches

 

QUESTION

What is a discard and why does this happen?

 

ANSWER

A discard is a deleted / dropped message because the receiver could not process the packet. Generally it is caused by a full memory buffer of the receiver. 

It can also occur when VLANs are misconfigured; a VLAN message enters a device and the device cannot send it further, so it discards it.