Network performance

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Network performance refers to the level of quality of service of a telecommunications product [1] as seen by the customer. It should not be seen merely as an attempt to get "more through" the network.

The following list gives examples of Network Performance measures for a circuit-switched network and one type of packet-switched network, viz. ATM:

  • Circuit-switched networks: In circuit switched networks, network performance is synonymous with the grade of service. The number of rejected calls is a measure of how well the network is performing under heavy traffic loads.[1] Other types of performance measures can include noise, echo and so on.
  • ATM: In an Asynchronous Transfer Mode ATM network, performance can be measured by line rate, QoS, data throughput, connect time, stability, technology, modulation technique and modem enhancements.[2]

There are many different ways to measure the performance of a network, as each network is different in nature and design. Performance can also be modelled instead of measured; one example of this is using state transition diagrams to model queuing performance in a circuit-switched network. These diagrams allow the network planner to analyze how the network will perform in each state, ensuring that the network will be optimally designed.[3]

[edit] 8-second rule

A June 2001 [1] Zona Research report entitled "The Need for Speed II" found that the average web user will wait about eight seconds for a page to download, but that current average download time across backbone connection on most web sites is almost ten seconds.

The 8-second rule is an old (by Internet standards) way of measuring the adequate response time of a webserver through different bandwidth connections. It specified that if the the load-time of a web page exceeds eight seconds, users are unlikely to wait, or "stick around", for its completion. In order to increase the "stickiness" of a website, faster ways to deliver the content to the user needed to be devised. These included stripping away unnecessary HTML code and using fewer images.

It is generally believed that this rule no longer applies, since a much higher percentage of Internet users now have broadband available, making almost every website load up much faster, in some cases in less than a second. However, the rule has remained as a rough unit to measure the performance of a webserver.

For more specific information on network performance, refer to articles on specific network technologies, as well as the quality of service and grade of service articles.

[edit] References

  1. ^ ITU-T Study Group 2, Teletraffic Engineering Handbook (PDF), Last accessed 13 February 2005.
  2. ^ Telecommunications Magazine Online, Americas January 2003, Issue Highlights, Online Exclusive: Broadband Access Maximum Performance, Last accessed 13 February 2005.
  3. ^ State Transition Diagrams, Last accessed 13 July 2003.
  • Software Quality Engineering's Web/eBusiness Testing Version 2.1
  • 8 Second Rule