What is meant by "traffic shaping" in the context of firewalls?

Traffic shaping refers to the method used by firewalls and other networking devices to manage and optimize the flow of network traffic. By controlling the rate at which packets are sent or received, traffic shaping ensures that crucial applications and services receive the necessary bandwidth, while less-critical traffic can be delayed or throttled. This process involves prioritizing certain types of traffic, which improves overall network performance and ensures a more efficient use of available resources.

By implementing traffic shaping, organizations can prevent network congestion, maintain a high quality of service (QoS), and support the varying demands of different applications. For instance, video conferencing applications may be prioritized over file downloads to ensure smooth communication. Thus, the essence of traffic shaping lies in its ability to enhance the user experience and optimize the network’s performance by intelligently managing bandwidth allocation, rather than simply creating new routes, limiting all traffic, or increasing bandwidth.