Managing data compression

A receiving apparatus for receiving data from a transmitting apparatus, the receiving apparatus comprising:

• a first network interface configured to receive a series of packets of data from the transmitting apparatus over a first communications path;
• a receive buffer forming part of the first network interface, the receive buffer being configured to store uncompressed ones of the packets of data received over the first communications path;
• a data decompressor configured to decompress compressed ones of the packets of data received over the first communications path before the resulting decompressed packets of data are provided to the receive buffer;
• and
• a second network interface configured to send a decompression rate value to the transmitting apparatus over a second communications path.

A non-transitory computer-readable computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the following operations:

• storing a series of packets of data for transmission over a first communications path in a transmit buffer;
• receiving a decompression rate value from a receiving apparatus over a second communications path;
• selecting data packets stored in the transmit buffer for compression based on a compression rate value and a transmission rate value of a transmitting apparatus and a decompression rate value received from the receiving apparatus;
• compressing the data packets selected for compression;
• and
• transmitting the data packets, by a first network interface, to the receiving apparatus over the first communications path.

A non-transitory computer-readable computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the following operations:

• receiving a series of packets of data from a transmitting apparatus over a first communications path;
• storing uncompressed ones of the packets of data received over the first communications path in a receive buffer;
• decompressing compressed ones of the packets of data received over the first communications path and providing the resulting decompressed packets of data to the receive buffer;
• and
• sending a decompression rate value to the transmitting apparatus over a second communications path.