UDP

(User Datagram Protocol) – A simple protocol for data transmission included in the IP suite, it offers connectionless transmission with minimalist protocol function. UDP performs simple checksums to provide data-integrity and port numbers that can be assigned for different function on the same host/destination. It does not provide any authentication or handshake functions, so things like delivery, in-order transmission and duplication protection aren’t possible, that is where TCP steps in. UDP is used in applications where error-checking/correction aren’t exactly necessary, or are performed by another process in the application, thus avoiding potential overhead and performance hits. See also: TCP, Protocol