UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is the preferred protocol for real-time video streaming, such as feeds from network cameras. According to CompTIA Core 1 (220-1201) networking protocols objectives, UDP prioritizes speed and low latency over guaranteed delivery, making it ideal for time-sensitive applications.
Real-time video streaming can tolerate occasional packet loss, but it cannot tolerate delays caused by retransmissions. UDP does not perform error checking or packet retransmission, which reduces overhead and ensures smooth, continuous playback. This is critical for live video feeds where delayed packets are useless.
TCP, while reliable, introduces latency due to acknowledgments and retransmissions, making it unsuitable for real-time streaming. FTP is a file transfer protocol and does not support live streaming. RDP is used for remote desktop access and is not designed for transmitting continuous real-time video streams from cameras.
CompTIA emphasizes understanding protocol selection based on application requirements, particularly distinguishing between reliability and performance needs. For live video, UDP is the optimal choice.
[References:CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) Official Study Guide – Network Protocols and Use Cases, , , ]