Bandwidth
Our Definition
The data transfer capacity of a data connection or network. Bandwidth is measured for digital devices in bits per second (bps), for analog devices in cycles per second or Hertz (Hz). Input/output (I/O) devices are constrained not only by their own bandwidth, but by that of the bus that connects them to the computer. This should not be confused with Throughput, which is the amount of data that actually travels along a network in a specified amount of time and is generally far less than the potential bandwidth.
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Sources and Online Definitions
"The amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time. For digital devices, the bandwidth is usually expressed in bits per second(bps) or bytes per second. For analog devices, the bandwidth is expressed in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz).
"The bandwidth is particularly important for I/O devices. For example, a fast disk drive can be hampered by a bus with a low bandwidth. This is the main reason that new buses, such as AGP, have been developed for the PC."
"The capacity a network or data connection has for carrying data. For analog transmission, bandwidth is the difference between the upper and lower transmission frequencies in a given range. It is measured in cycles per second or Hz (hertz). For digital transmission, bandwidth is measured in (bps) bits per second, and the larger the bandwidth number, the faster the digital transmission. This speed is important for I/O (input/output) devices because a bus with a low bandwidth could restrain a faster I/O device from performing at full capacity."
Comments (4)
Anonymous said
at 3:06 pm on Apr 18, 2008
I thought "bus" was a typo at first, but now I've learned a new computer term. Imagine if The Magic School Bus visited a bus inside a computer.
Anonymous said
at 5:10 pm on May 4, 2008
I'm always using the term "bandwidth" to describe to people why I need to limit the extra tasks I'm asked to participate in (e.g. my daughter's school projects or requests from non-profit organizations. I just tell them, "Not right now ... after grad school."
Erik Rath said
at 9:39 am on May 14, 2008
After some of the exercises in class, I think mentioning the idealism of the term would be needed. The potential versus reality of bandwidth is pretty ridiculous.
Anonymous said
at 8:32 pm on May 15, 2008
"Imagine if The Magic School Bus visited a bus inside a computer."
Dude, they totally have.
Unfortunately, I can't:
a) Embed the link in a tag on the comment page
b) Give you a tinyurl, because they're freakin' site is down
c) Paste the url on this page, because the Amazon.com link is way too long.
So you'll just have to trust me...
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