Available Bandwidth
Summary
Available bandwidth is a metric that measures the amount of network capacity that is available for a specific application or service to use. It can be used to understand the amount of network resources that are available to an application or service and whether the application or service is operating within the limits of the network infrastructure. The calculation formula for available bandwidth is:
Available bandwidth = (Total network capacity - Total bandwidth consumed)
For example, if a network has a total capacity of 100 Mbps and currently has 50 Mbps of bandwidth consumed by various applications and services, the available bandwidth would be:
Available bandwidth = (100 Mbps - 50 Mbps) = 50 Mbps
It matters because it is important to monitor the amount of available bandwidth to ensure that an application or service is operating within the limits of the network infrastructure, and to avoid overloading the network and causing service disruptions. Additionally, monitoring available bandwidth can help identify and address issues with network congestion, or over-utilization of network resources. This can help you to optimize the performance of your application or service, and to identify opportunities to improve the efficiency of your network infrastructure.
Additionally, knowing the available bandwidth can help you to identify and resolve bottlenecks in your network infrastructure, and to make informed decisions about how to scale your network resources to meet the changing needs of your application or service.
here is an example of different metrics for available bandwidth for various devices in a table format:
| Device | Total Network Capacity | Total Bandwidth Consumed | Available Bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Router | 1 Gbps | 500 Mbps | 500 Mbps |
| Switch | 10 Gbps | 2 Gbps | 8 Gbps |
| Firewall | 100 Gbps | 50 Gbps | 50 Gbps |
| Wireless Access Point | 2.5 Gbps | 1 Gbps | 1.5 Gbps |
| Server | 10 Gbps | 8 Gbps | 2 Gbps |
Actual total network capacity and bandwidth consumed will vary depending on the device, it's configuration and the usage.
Examples of possible bandwidth capacity of various network devices (estimate only, will vary based on type of device):
| Network Device | Bandwidth Capacity (estimate/varies) |
|---|---|
| Firewall | 100 Gbps |
| DDoS Protection | 50 Gbps |
| Network switch | 40 Gbps |
| Network Interface Card (NIC) | 10 Gbps |
| Switch | 10 Gbps |
| Network bridge | 10 Gbps |
| Wireless Access Point | 2.5 Gbps |
| Wireless router | 800 Mbps |
| Fiber optic modem | 1 Gbps |
| Network-attached storage | 1 Gbps |
| Load balancer | 1 Gbps |
| VPN gateway | 1 Gbps |
| Router | 1 Gbps |
| WAN Accelerator | 1 Gbps |
| Cable modem | 100 Mbps |
| SD-WAN device | 100 Mbps |
| DSL modem | 20 Mbps |
| Satellite modem | 15 Mbps |
| Network hub | 100 Mbps |
| Network repeater | 1 Gbps |
Internet Cables
| Internet Cable Hardware | Bandwidth Capacity (estimate/varies) |
|---|---|
| Coaxial Cable | 1000 Mbps |
| Ethernet Cable (Cat5) | 100 Mbps |
| Ethernet Cable (Cat6) | 10 Gbps |
| Fiber Optic Cable | 100 Gbps |
| HDMI Cable | 18 Gbps |
| USB Cable | 480 Mbps |
| Thunderbolt Cable | 40 Gbps |
| DisplayPort Cable | 8.64 Gbps |
| VGA Cable | 165 MHz |
| DVI Cable | 4 Gbps |
- Actual bandwidth capacity will vary depending on the device, it's configuration, and the usage. These are estimates only.
- Available bandwidth can also change dynamically based on the usage of the device and the network.
- Monitor the bandwidth capacity of your network devices in order to ensure that they are operating within the limits of the network infrastructure, and to avoid overloading the network and causing service disruptions.
- Monitoring the bandwidth capacity can help identify and address issues with network congestion, or over-utilization of network resources. This can help you to optimize the performance of your
- Identify opportunities to improve the efficiency of your network infrastructure.
| EC2 Instance Type | Total Network Capacity (estimates) | Total Bandwidth Consumed | Available Bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|
| t2.micro | Low | Low | Low |
| t2.small | Low | Low | Low |
| t2.medium | Low | Low | Low |
| m4.large | High | Medium | High |
| m4.xlarge | High | Medium | High |
| m4.2xlarge | High | Medium | High |
| m4.4xlarge | High | Medium | High |
| m4.10xlarge | High | High | High |
| m5.large | High | Medium | High |
| m5.xlarge | High | Medium | High |
| r4.large | High | Medium | High |
| r4.xlarge | High | Medium | High |
| r4.2xlarge | High | Medium | High |
| r4.4xlarge | High | High | High |
| r4.8xlarge | High | High | High |
| r5.large | High | Medium | High |
| r5.xlarge | High | Medium | High |
| r5.2xlarge | High | Medium | High |
| r5.4xlarge | High | High | High |
| r5.12xlarge | High | High | High |