MUST READ: End-to-End Arguments in System Design « ipSpace.net blog
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A brief endorsement of the classic 1981 paper 'End-to-End Arguments in System Design,' which argues for keeping networks simple and pushing complexity to endpoints. The post notes that networking vendors have long ignored these principles for profit, adding unnecessary complexity to networks. It also highlights a timeless tidbit from the paper about how relying on layer-2 checksums can corrupt data.
Questions this post answers
What is the end-to-end argument in system design and where does it come from?
The end-to-end argument holds that complex functions should be implemented at the endpoints of a network rather than in the network itself, keeping the network simple. This principle was formally articulated in a 1981 paper titled 'End-to-End Arguments in System Design' by Saltzer et al. at MIT. The paper also warns that relying on layer-2 checksums alone can lead to data corruption. Engineers reasoning about where to place logic in distributed systems find the ongoing debate tracked on daily.dev.