Google Cloud Digital Leader Practice Exam

Which of the following factors can affect an application's performance due to delays in network communication?

1. Throughput

2. Latency

3. Bandwidth

4. Redundancy

The correct answer is: Latency

Latency is a key factor that directly influences an application's performance due to delays in network communication. It refers to the time it takes for data to travel from the source to the destination. High latency can lead to noticeable delays when users interact with applications, resulting in a poor user experience. This can be particularly impactful in scenarios such as online gaming, video conferencing, or any real-time applications where response times are critical. While throughput and bandwidth are related to the volume of data that can be transmitted over the network, they do not specifically denote the delay in communication. Thus, they are more concerned with the capacity and speed of data transfer rather than the inherent time delays involved in the process. Redundancy, on the other hand, pertains to backup components that ensure reliability and availability of services but does not directly affect the performance related to network delays. Understanding the concept of latency and how it impacts application performance is crucial for designing and optimizing networked applications, especially in cloud environments where network characteristics can significantly vary.