Factors of Network Performance
What are the factors that affect network performance?
- 5 key factors can impact how well a network performs
- Number of Users
- Bandwidth
- Latency
- Error Rate
- Transmission Media
Number of users
- This is how many users are on the network at the same time
- Too many users can cause the network to slow down if there is not enough bandwidth for all of the data being sent and received
Bandwidth
- Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be sent and received at any given time
- Measured in bits per second (bit rate)
- A smaller bandwidth means that less data can be sent and the network can slow down, potentially to the point of becoming unusable
Latency
- Latency is the delay between data being sent and received
- If there is a big delay between the two, more data will be on the network causing collisions
- This can lead to even more packets of data being sent as the error rate has increased
Error rate
- Error rate is the measure of how many packets of data do not reach their destination
- An increased error rate occurs in less reliable connections - a poor wireless signal would be a contributing factor to an increased error rate
Transmission media
- Transmission media is the type of cable used in wired connections
- Wired connections offer a higher bandwidth than wireless connections
- The main options for transmission media are unshielded twisted pair and fibre-optic
- Fibre optic has a higher bandwidth than copper cabling as well as faster transfer speeds
Worked example
A university has a LAN (Local Area Network). The LAN allows access by both wired and wireless devices. Users have reported that the network sometimes runs very slowly.
(i) Explain why the number of devices using the network at the same time can affect the performance of the network [3]
(ii) Identify one other factor that can affect the performance of the network [1]
How to answer this question
- To answer this question there must be an answer with an explanation of its impact
- An example answer that would score full marks
- More devices accessing the network at one time would result in the network performing slower because the bandwidth would be split between them [1]
- The impact of this would mean that there is less bandwidth for each device, slowing down how fast data could be sent and received [1]
- Having more users/devices means that there is more data being sent and received [1]
Answers
(i)1 mark each to a maximum of 3
- Slower transmission of data // less data can be transmitted at the same time // the transmission rate decreases // time to send/receive increases
- More devices mean more data is being transmitted at a time
- Bandwidth will be split between all the devices sending data // each device uses some of the bandwidth
- this means that there is less bandwidth for each device
- Devices have to wait longer before they can transmit // increased latency
- If the maximum bandwidth is used then devices cannot transmit
- Central device/switch/router has to handle more requests and may run slower
- More collisions are likely) // higher error rate
- This means more data has to be retransmitted
- Loss of more packets
- This means more data has to be retransmitted
(ii) 1 mark
- Bandwidth
- Interference // with example
- Wired // wireless // transmission medium
- Type/amount of data being transmitted
- Central hardware performance // with example
- e.g. router/switch
- Error rate
- Distance between nodes
- Topology // physical layout
- Wireless repeaters
