Overview
Unlike traffic shaping, which buffers traffic, policing is 'hard' and immediate. If traffic exceeds the configured rate, the excess is either dropped or marked with a lower priority (e.g., changing the DSCP value).
Key Characteristics
- No Buffering: Does not add latency or jitter.
- Effect: Causes packet loss, which triggers TCP's congestion control to slow down the sender.
- Use Case: Often used by ISPs to enforce the bandwidth limits of a customer's service plan.