data transfer rate


data transfer rate

(communications)(Or "throughput") The ammount of datatransferred in one direction over a link divided by the timetaken to transfer it, usually expressed in bits or bytes persecond.

Where data transfer is not continuous throughout the giventime interval, the data transfer rate is thus an average ratethat will be lower than the peak rate. The peak or maximumpossible rate may itself be lower than the capacity of thecommunication channel used if the channel is shared, or partof the signal is not considered as data, e.g. checksum orrouting information.

The other important characteristic of a channel is itslatency.