Bandwidth (computing)

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In computing, bandwidth is the maximum rate of data transfer across a given path. Bandwidth may be characterized as network bandwidth, [1] data bandwidth, [2] or digital bandwidth. [3] [4]

Contents

This definition of bandwidth is in contrast to the field of signal processing, wireless communications, modem data transmission, digital communications, and electronics,[ citation needed ] in which bandwidth is used to refer to analog signal bandwidth measured in hertz, meaning the frequency range between lowest and highest attainable frequency while meeting a well-defined impairment level in signal power. The actual bit rate that can be achieved depends not only on the signal bandwidth but also on the noise on the channel.

Network capacity

The term bandwidth sometimes defines the net bit rate peak bit rate, information rate, or physical layer useful bit rate, channel capacity, or the maximum throughput of a logical or physical communication path in a digital communication system. For example, bandwidth tests measure the maximum throughput of a computer network. The maximum rate that can be sustained on a link is limited by the Shannon–Hartley channel capacity for these communication systems, which is dependent on the bandwidth in hertz and the noise on the channel.

Network consumption

The consumed bandwidth in bit/s, corresponds to achieved throughput or goodput, i.e., the average rate of successful data transfer through a communication path. The consumed bandwidth can be affected by technologies such as bandwidth shaping, bandwidth management, bandwidth throttling, bandwidth cap, bandwidth allocation (for example bandwidth allocation protocol and dynamic bandwidth allocation), etc. A bit stream's bandwidth is proportional to the average consumed signal bandwidth in hertz (the average spectral bandwidth of the analog signal representing the bit stream) during a studied time interval.

Channel bandwidth may be confused with useful data throughput (or goodput). For example, a channel with x bit/s may not necessarily transmit data at x rate, since protocols, encryption, and other factors can add appreciable overhead. For instance, much internet traffic uses the transmission control protocol (TCP), which requires a three-way handshake for each transaction. Although in many modern implementations the protocol is efficient, it does add significant overhead compared to simpler protocols. Also, data packets may be lost, which further reduces the useful data throughput. In general, for any effective digital communication, a framing protocol is needed; overhead and effective throughput depends on implementation. Useful throughput is less than or equal to the actual channel capacity minus implementation overhead.

Maximum throughput

The asymptotic bandwidth (formally asymptotic throughput) for a network is the measure of maximum throughput for a greedy source, for example when the message size (the number of packets per second from a source) approaches close to the maximum amount. [5]

Asymptotic bandwidths are usually estimated by sending a number of very large messages through the network, measuring the end-to-end throughput. As with other bandwidths, the asymptotic bandwidth is measured in multiples of bits per seconds. Since bandwidth spikes can skew the measurement, carriers often use the 95th percentile method. This method continuously measures bandwidth usage and then removes the top 5 percent. [6]

Multimedia

Digital bandwidth may also refer to: multimedia bit rate or average bitrate after multimedia data compression (source coding), defined as the total amount of data divided by the playback time.

Due to the impractically high bandwidth requirements of uncompressed digital media, the required multimedia bandwidth can be significantly reduced with data compression. [7] The most widely used data compression technique for media bandwidth reduction is the discrete cosine transform (DCT), which was first proposed by Nasir Ahmed in the early 1970s. [8] DCT compression significantly reduces the amount of memory and bandwidth required for digital signals, capable of achieving a data compression ratio of up to 100:1 compared to uncompressed media. [9]

Web hosting

In Web hosting service, the term bandwidth is often incorrectly used to describe the amount of data transferred to or from the website or server within a prescribed period of time, for example bandwidth consumption accumulated over a month measured in gigabytes per month.[ citation needed ] [10] The more accurate phrase used for this meaning of a maximum amount of data transfer each month or given period is monthly data transfer.

A similar situation can occur for end-user Internet service providers as well, especially where network capacity is limited (for example in areas with underdeveloped internet connectivity and on wireless networks).

Internet connections

This table shows the maximum bandwidth (the physical layer net bit rate) of common Internet access technologies. For more detailed lists see

Bit rateConnection type
56 kbit/s Dialup
1.5 Mbit/s ADSL Lite
1.544 Mbit/s T1/DS1
2.048 Mbit/sE1 / E-carrier
4 Mbit/s ADSL1
10 Mbit/s Ethernet
11 Mbit/sWireless 802.11b
24 Mbit/s ADSL2+
44.736 Mbit/s T3/DS3
54 Mbit/sWireless 802.11g
100 Mbit/s Fast Ethernet
155 Mbit/s OC3
600 Mbit/sWireless 802.11n
622 Mbit/s OC12
1 Gbit/s Gigabit Ethernet
1.3 Gbit/sWireless 802.11ac
2.5 Gbit/s OC48
5 Gbit/s SuperSpeed USB
7 Gbit/sWireless 802.11ad
9.6 Gbit/s OC192
10 Gbit/s 10 Gigabit Ethernet, SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbit/s
20 Gbit/s SuperSpeed USB 20 Gbit/s
40 Gbit/s Thunderbolt 3
100 Gbit/s 100 Gigabit Ethernet

Edholm's law

Edholm's law, proposed by and named after Phil Edholm in 2004, [11] holds that the bandwidth of telecommunication networks double every 18 months, which has proven to be true since the 1970s. [11] [12] The trend is evident in the cases of Internet, [11] cellular (mobile), wireless LAN and wireless personal area networks. [12]

The MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor) is the most important factor enabling the rapid increase in bandwidth. [13] The MOSFET (MOS transistor) was invented by Mohamed M. Atalla and Dawon Kahng at Bell Labs in 1959, [14] [15] [16] and went on to become the basic building block of modern telecommunications technology. [17] [18] Continuous MOSFET scaling, along with various advances in MOS technology, has enabled both Moore's law (transistor counts in integrated circuit chips doubling every two years) and Edholm's law (communication bandwidth doubling every 18 months). [13]

Related Research Articles

Network throughput refers to the rate of message delivery over a communication channel, such as Ethernet or packet radio, in a communication network. The data that these messages contain may be delivered over physical or logical links, or through network nodes. Throughput is usually measured in bits per second, and sometimes in data packets per second or data packets per time slot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wireless network</span> Computer network not fully connected by cables

A wireless network is a computer network that uses wireless data connections between network nodes. Wireless networking allows homes, telecommunications networks, and business installations to avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment locations. Admin telecommunications networks are generally implemented and administered using radio communication. This implementation takes place at the physical level (layer) of the OSI model network structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital electronics</span> Electronic circuits that utilize digital signals

Digital electronics is a field of electronics involving the study of digital signals and the engineering of devices that use or produce them. This is in contrast to analog electronics which work primarily with analog signals. Despite the name, digital electronics designs includes important analog design considerations.

Telephony is the field of technology involving the development, application, and deployment of telecommunications services for the purpose of electronic transmission of voice, fax, or data, between distant parties. The history of telephony is intimately linked to the invention and development of the telephone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telecommunications network</span> Network for communications over distance

A telecommunications network is a group of nodes interconnected by telecommunications links that are used to exchange messages between the nodes. The links may use a variety of technologies based on the methodologies of circuit switching, message switching, or packet switching, to pass messages and signals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Communication channel</span> Physical or logical connection used for transmission of information

A communication channel refers either to a physical transmission medium such as a wire, or to a logical connection over a multiplexed medium such as a radio channel in telecommunications and computer networking. A channel is used for information transfer of, for example, a digital bit stream, from one or several senders to one or several receivers. A channel has a certain capacity for transmitting information, often measured by its bandwidth in Hz or its data rate in bits per second.

In telecommunications and computing, bit rate is the number of bits that are conveyed or processed per unit of time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet access</span> Individual connection to the Internet


Internet access is a facility or service that provides connectivity for a computer, a computer network, or other network device to the Internet, and for individuals or organizations to access or use applications such as email and the World Wide Web. Internet access is offered for sale by an international hierarchy of Internet service providers (ISPs) using various networking technologies. At the retail level, many organizations, including municipal entities, also provide cost-free access to the general public.

Throughput of a network can be measured using various tools available on different platforms. This page explains the theory behind what these tools set out to measure and the issues regarding these measurements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mixed-signal integrated circuit</span> Integrated circuit

A mixed-signal integrated circuit is any integrated circuit that has both analog circuits and digital circuits on a single semiconductor die. Their usage has grown dramatically with the increased use of cell phones, telecommunications, portable electronics, and automobiles with electronics and digital sensors.

Spectral efficiency, spectrum efficiency or bandwidth efficiency refers to the information rate that can be transmitted over a given bandwidth in a specific communication system. It is a measure of how efficiently a limited frequency spectrum is utilized by the physical layer protocol, and sometimes by the medium access control.

In computer networking, wire speed or wirespeed refers to the hypothetical peak physical layer net bit rate of a cable combined with a certain digital communication device, interface, or port. For example, the wire speed of Fast Ethernet is 100 Mbit/s also known as the peak bitrate, connection speed, useful bit rate, information rate, or digital bandwidth capacity. The wire speed is the data transfer rate that a telecommunications standard provides at a reference point between the physical layer and the data link layer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of telecommunication</span>

The history of telecommunication began with the use of smoke signals and drums in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. In the 1790s, the first fixed semaphore systems emerged in Europe. However, it was not until the 1830s that electrical telecommunication systems started to appear. This article details the history of telecommunication and the individuals who helped make telecommunication systems what they are today. The history of telecommunication is an important part of the larger history of communication.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to information technology:

A wide variety of different wireless data technologies exist, some in direct competition with one another, others designed for specific applications. Wireless technologies can be evaluated by a variety of different metrics of which some are described in this entry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile broadband</span> Marketing term

Mobile broadband is the marketing term for wireless Internet access via mobile (cell) networks. Access to the network can be made through a portable modem, wireless modem, or a tablet/smartphone or other mobile device. The first wireless Internet access became available in 1991 as part of the second generation (2G) of mobile phone technology. Higher speeds became available in 2001 and 2006 as part of the third (3G) and fourth (4G) generations. In 2011, 90% of the world's population lived in areas with 2G coverage, while 45% lived in areas with 2G and 3G coverage. Mobile broadband uses the spectrum of 225 MHz to 3700 MHz.

In computing, computer performance is the amount of useful work accomplished by a computer system. Outside of specific contexts, computer performance is estimated in terms of accuracy, efficiency and speed of executing computer program instructions. When it comes to high computer performance, one or more of the following factors might be involved:

Edholm's law, proposed by and named after Phil Edholm, refers to the observation that the three categories of telecommunication, namely wireless (mobile), nomadic and wired networks (fixed), are in lockstep and gradually converging. Edholm's law also holds that data rates for these telecommunications categories increase on similar exponential curves, with the slower rates trailing the faster ones by a predictable time lag. Edholm's law predicts that the bandwidth and data rates double every 18 months, which has proven to be true since the 1970s. The trend is evident in the cases of Internet, cellular (mobile), wireless LAN and wireless personal area networks.

References

  1. ↑ Douglas Comer, Computer Networks and Internets, page 99 ff, Prentice Hall 2008.
  2. ↑ Fred Halsall, to data+communications and computer networks, page 108, Addison-Wesley, 1985.
  3. ↑ Cisco Networking Academy Program: CCNA 1 and 2 companion guide, Volym 1–2, Cisco Academy 2003
  4. ↑ Behrouz A. Forouzan, Data communications and networking, McGraw-Hill, 2007
  5. ↑ Chou, C. Y.; et al. (2006). "Modeling Message Passing Overhead". In Chung, Yeh-Ching; Moreira, José E. (eds.). Advances in Grid and Pervasive Computing: First International Conference, GPC 2006. Springer. pp. 299–307. ISBN   3540338098.
  6. ↑ "What is Bandwidth? - Definition and Details". www.paessler.com. Retrieved 2019-04-18.
  7. ↑ Lee, Jack (2005). Scalable Continuous Media Streaming Systems: Architecture, Design, Analysis and Implementation. John Wiley & Sons. p. 25. ISBN   9780470857649.
  8. ↑ Stanković, Radomir S.; Astola, Jaakko T. (2012). "Reminiscences of the Early Work in DCT: Interview with K.R. Rao" (PDF). Reprints from the Early Days of Information Sciences. 60. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  9. ↑ Lea, William (1994). Video on demand: Research Paper 94/68. House of Commons Library. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  10. ↑ Low, Jerry (27 March 2022). "How Much Hosting Bandwidth Do I Need For My Website?". WHSR.
  11. 1 2 3 Cherry, Steven (2004). "Edholm's law of bandwidth". IEEE Spectrum. 41 (7): 58–60. doi:10.1109/MSPEC.2004.1309810. S2CID   27580722.
  12. 1 2 Deng, Wei; Mahmoudi, Reza; van Roermund, Arthur (2012). Time Multiplexed Beam-Forming with Space-Frequency Transformation. New York: Springer. p. 1. ISBN   9781461450450.
  13. 1 2 Jindal, Renuka P. (2009). "From millibits to terabits per second and beyond - over 60 years of innovation". 2009 2nd International Workshop on Electron Devices and Semiconductor Technology. pp. 1–6. doi:10.1109/EDST.2009.5166093. ISBN   978-1-4244-3831-0. S2CID   25112828.
  14. ↑ "1960 - Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) Transistor Demonstrated". The Silicon Engine. Computer History Museum.
  15. ↑ Lojek, Bo (2007). History of Semiconductor Engineering. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 321–3. ISBN   9783540342588.
  16. ↑ "Who Invented the Transistor?". Computer History Museum . 4 December 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  17. ↑ "Triumph of the MOS Transistor". YouTube . Computer History Museum. 6 August 2010. Archived from the original on 2021-11-07. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  18. ↑ Raymer, Michael G. (2009). The Silicon Web: Physics for the Internet Age. CRC Press. p. 365. ISBN   9781439803127.
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