Google Cloud Digital Leader Practice Exam

In the context of networking, what does the term 'delay' refer to?

1. Latency

2. Bandwidth

3. Throughput

4. Connection speed

The correct answer is: Latency

The term 'delay' in the context of networking refers to latency, which is the time it takes for data to travel from the source to the destination across a network. Latency is often measured in milliseconds and can be influenced by various factors such as the distance between the sender and receiver, the type of network medium, and any processing delays that may occur at routers and switches along the path. Understanding latency is crucial for applications that require real-time communication, such as video conferencing or online gaming, where even slight delays can negatively impact the user experience. It is fundamentally different from concepts like bandwidth, throughput, and connection speed, which relate to the capacity and efficiency of data transmission rather than the time it takes for data to be delivered. In summary, recognizing latency as a measure of delay helps clarify the performance characteristics of a network and is essential for diagnosing network issues or improving performance.