What does the term 'throughput' refer to in networking?

Throughput in networking refers specifically to the rate at which data is successfully transmitted over a network during a given period. It measures the actual amount of data that is successfully transferred from one point to another, accounting for various potential delays, errors, and other issues that can occur during transmission.

When considering throughput, it’s important to distinguish it from other related concepts. For instance, while the maximum capacity of a network represents its theoretical limit under ideal conditions, throughput reflects the real-world performance and efficiency of data transfer. This means that even if a network has high capacity, factors like congestion, signal degradation, or protocol overhead can reduce the actual throughput experienced.

Understanding throughput is essential because it directly impacts application performance and user experience. For example, in settings where large files need to be sent or streaming services are in use, high throughput is crucial for ensuring smooth operation without interruptions or buffering.

The other options refer to different networking concepts that are important but do not accurately define throughput.