I had a very interesting question asked of me today: What happens when you use up all your network bandwidth?
Let’s explore what bandwidth is not like and like:
- Bandwidth is not like running out of gas in your car. When your car is out of gas, it is dead. When you run out of bandwidth, things move very slowly.
- Ample Bandwidth is like having a conversation between two people.
- Capacity Bandwidth is like having a conversation at the mall at Christmas (loud and tough to hear)
Technically speaking, Ethernet (most early bandwidth), is a Carrier-Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) network. What a mouthful! In lay terms, this means that multiple devices can access networks and their transmissions are allowed without collisions. In our modern world, we use the TCP/IP protocol suite to control our traffic and connectivity.
So when you “run-out-of” bandwidth, communications get really, really, reeeaaaalllllyyy slow. Other things can cause networks to run slow, but this post is not geared toward other issues. It is important to note that network architects are keeping bandwidth standards growing faster than the current demand. But only by a little, because our needs are exponentially growing as the IOT places so many demands on our systems.
Below are a few terms that we use daily in our profession of network architecture: Latency, Throughput, and Bandwidth.
It is important to note that a good managed service provider constantly measures the resources of its customers and recommends products, services, and procedures to keep pace with its customers’ needs. Give us a call at (844) 506-2116 to check your systems for potential problems.
