What are the metrics used to measure the quality of computer network?

A network must meet a number of criteria to be considered as effective and efficient.

The criteria are,

1.     Performance

2.     Reliability

3.     Security

1. Performance:

The performance can be measured by two times are,

                                 I.     Transit time

                               II.     Response time

I. Transit time:

It is the amount of time required for a message to travel from one device to another device.

II. Response time:

It is the elapsed time between an inquiry and a response.

The performance can be measured by number factors are,

                                          i.         Number of user

                                         ii.         Type of transition medium

                                       iii.         Hardware

                                       iv.         Software

i. Number of user:

Large number of concurrent users produces slow response time and heavy traffic loads.

ii. Type of transition medium:

The medium defines the speed of data travel.

iii. Hardware:

The type of hardware can affect the speed and capacity of transmission.

iv. Software:

The software can affect speed and reliability of a network link.

2. Reliability:

The reliability is measured by frequency to failure, the time it takes a link to recover from a failure and the network’s robustness in a catastrophe.

i. Frequency of Failure:

A network that fails often.

ii. Recovery time:

How much time it takes to recover service after a failure has occurred?

iii. Catastrophe:

Failures due to such reasons are fire, earthquake, theft…

3. Security:

It refers to protecting data from unauthorized access and viruses.

i. Unauthorized Access:

Sensitive data must be protected from unauthorized access. Protection can be done by user identification and passwords at the lowest level. At the highest level, encryption techniques may use.

ii. Viruses:

A virus is an illicitly introduced code that damages the system.