throughput - TarisMajor/5143-OpSystems GitHub Wiki

Throughput

Throughput is the rate at which a system processes data over a specific period, often measured in operations per second, bits per second, or packets per second, depending on the context. In networking, throughput refers to the amount of data that can be transmitted from one point to another in a given time frame, usually under optimal conditions. It is a key performance indicator for networking hardware, applications, and systems that handle large amounts of data, such as cloud platforms or high-performance computing systems.

High throughput generally indicates that a system can handle more tasks or data in a given period, leading to more efficient operation, especially in data-intensive environments like databases and media streaming. Factors that impact throughput include network bandwidth, hardware capabilities, and system load.

Sources:

Tanenbaum, A. S. (2001). Modern Operating Systems. Stallings, W. (2013). Data and Computer Communications.