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Network performance refers to the level of quality of service of a telecommunications product [1] as seen by the customer. It should not be seen merely as an attempt to get "more through" the network.
The following list gives examples of Network Performance measures for a circuit-switched network and one type of packet-switched network, viz. ATM:
- Circuit-switched networks: In circuit switched networks, network performance is synonymous with the grade of service. The number of rejected calls is a measure of how well the network is performing under heavy traffic loads.[2] Other types of performance measures can include noise, echo and so on.
- ATM: In an Asynchronous Transfer Mode ATM network, performance can be measured by line rate, QoS, data throughput, connect time, stability, technology, modulation technique and modem enhancements.[3]
There are many different ways to measure the performance of a network, as each network is different in nature and design. Performance can also be modelled instead of measured; one example of this is using state transition diagrams to model queuing performance in a circuit-switched network. These diagrams allow the network planner to analyze how the network will perform in each state, ensuring that the network will be optimally designed.[4]
8-second rule
A June 2001 Zona Research report entitled "The Need for Speed II" found that the average web user will wait about eight seconds for a page to download, but that current average download time across backbone connection on most web sites is almost ten seconds[5].
The 8-second rule is an old (by Internet standards) way of measuring the adequate response time of a webserver through different bandwidth connections. It specified that if the load-time of a web page exceeds eight seconds, users are unlikely to wait, or "stick around", for its completion. In order to increase the "stickiness" of a website, faster ways to deliver the content to the user needed to be devised. These included stripping away unnecessary HTML code and using fewer images[6].
It is generally believed that this rule no longer applies, since a much higher percentage of Internet users now have broadband available, making almost every website load up much faster, in some cases in less than a second. However, the rule has remained as a rough unit to measure the performance of a webserver.
For more specific information on network performance, refer to articles on specific network technologies, as well as the quality of service and grade of service articles.
References
- ^ Software Quality Engineering's Web/eBusiness Testing Version 2.1
- ^ ITU-T Study Group 2, Teletraffic Engineering Handbook (PDF), Last accessed 13 February 2005.
- ^ Telecommunications Magazine Online, Americas January 2003, Issue Highlights, Online Exclusive: Broadband Access Maximum Performance, Last accessed 13 February 2005.
- ^ "State Transition Diagrams". Retrieved on 2003-07-13.
- ^ "The Need for Speed II". Zona Research. Retrieved on 2008-07-24.
- ^ "The 8-Second Rule". Submit Corner. Retrieved on 2008-07-24.
