Bandwidth delay productīandwidth Delay Product (BDP) is calculated to find the amount of data a network link is capable of, in bytes, which can be transmitted on a network link at a given time. Ideally, the link from the core to distribution to access should support roughly a bandwidth of 480 Gb (12 nodes * 40 GbE). For example, if a PowerScale cluster of 12 nodes has all 40 GbE connectivity to access switches, the link from the core to distribution to access should be able to handle the throughput from the access switches. The bandwidth from the access switches to the PowerScale nodes should be a ratio of what is available back to the distribution and core switches. The throughput between a client and a PowerScale node depends on all the factors between the two endpoints and can be measured with various tools.ĭuring the design phase of a data center network, ensure that bandwidth is available throughout the hierarchy, eliminating bottlenecks and ensuring consistent bandwidth. If a PowerScale node supports 40 GbE, it does not necessarily mean the throughput is 40 Gb/s. The difference between these terms is important when troubleshooting. Throughput is the actual speed realized in a real-world scenario, given interference and other environmental factors such as configuration, contention, and congestion. Bandwidth is the theoretical maximum speed a specific medium can deliver if all factors are perfect without any form of interference.

Although these terms are conflated at times, they are actually both unique. Understanding the difference between throughput and bandwidth are important for network troubleshooting.

Bandwidth vs throughput