What does the term "throughput" refer to in networking?

Throughput in networking specifically refers to the actual rate of successful data transmission over a network at a given time. It measures how much data is successfully delivered from one point to another within a specific timeframe, typically expressed in bits per second (bps). This distinction is important because throughput accounts for various factors that may impede data transfer, such as network congestion, errors, or protocol overhead.

While capacity is a measure of the maximum potential data transfer capability of a network, throughput provides insight into real-world performance. Understanding throughput is crucial for evaluating the efficiency of network connections and applications, as it directly affects user experience and application performance. The other choices may touch on aspects of network performance but do not specifically define throughput in terms of actual successful data transmission rates.