100-150 Question 17
Single answerA small business network administrator notices that their internet connection is rated for 100 Mbps, but during a file transfer, the speed never exceeds 75 Mbps. Which statement best explains this difference between the rated speed and the observed speed?
- A
Bandwidth is the maximum capacity of the connection, while throughput is the actual data transfer rate achieved.
- B
Throughput measures the maximum capacity of the connection, while bandwidth measures the actual data transfer rate achieved.
- C
The 100 Mbps rating is the throughput, and the 75 Mbps observed speed is due to hardware limitations.
- D
The difference is caused by a software error on the file transfer application.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The rated internet speed (100 Mbps) represents the bandwidth, which is the maximum capacity of the connection. Throughput, on the other hand, is the actual speed achieved during data transfer (75 Mbps in this case). Factors like network congestion, latency, and protocol overhead can cause throughput to be lower than the available bandwidth.
- A. Correct.
Correct: Bandwidth refers to the maximum capacity of the connection, while throughput is the actual data transfer rate achieved, which can be affected by factors like network congestion, latency, or protocol overhead.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect: Throughput does not measure the maximum capacity of the connection; this is the definition of bandwidth. Throughput measures the actual data transfer rate achieved.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect: 100 Mbps refers to the bandwidth, not throughput. Hardware limitations might impact throughput, but they are not the only potential cause.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect: While software errors can impact performance, there is no evidence in this scenario to suggest that a software error is responsible for the difference.