100-150 Question 16
Single answerA network administrator is troubleshooting a slow file transfer between two offices connected by a 100 Mbps link. After testing, they find that the file transfer speed is only averaging 50 Mbps. What does this scenario best illustrate?
- A
The throughput of the network is limited by the bandwidth of the link.
- B
The bandwidth of the link is 100 Mbps, but the throughput is affected by factors like latency and packet loss.
- C
The bandwidth of the link is 50 Mbps, which means the file transfer cannot exceed this speed.
- D
The throughput of the network is equal to the bandwidth, but the file size is too large to transfer quickly.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
This scenario highlights the difference between bandwidth and throughput. Bandwidth refers to the maximum capacity of a network link, which in this case is 100 Mbps. Throughput, however, is the actual data transfer rate achieved, 50 Mbps here. Factors like latency, packet loss, and network congestion can reduce throughput significantly, making it lower than the theoretical bandwidth.
- A. Incorrect.
Incorrect: Bandwidth is the theoretical maximum capacity of the link, but throughput is the actual data transfer rate, which can be lower due to various factors.
- B. Correct.
Correct: Bandwidth is the maximum capacity of the link (100 Mbps in this case), while throughput reflects the actual achieved data transfer rate (50 Mbps) and can be affected by factors like latency, packet loss, and network congestion.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect: The bandwidth is specified as 100 Mbps in the scenario, not 50 Mbps. The reduced speed is due to other network conditions impacting throughput.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect: Throughput is not always equal to bandwidth. The file size does not directly cause the throughput to be lower; network factors like congestion or hardware limitations do.