A routing inefficiency where a call or data packet travels from an endpoint to a central switch or gateway, only to be sent right back out to another endpoint on the same local network. This doubles the bandwidth usage on the link to the core network and increases latency. It often happens in VoIP or cellular networks when local switching is disabled or misconfigured.
Heard on the job
We're tromboning all the local SIP traffic through the London data center, which explains the 200-millisecond delay between desks.
Also heard as
- hairpin
- tromboning