Time delay for data to travel from source to destination across a network.
Latency is the time delay for data to travel across a network, measured in milliseconds (ms). Low latency means responsive connections; high latency causes noticeable delays. Latency affects real-time applications—voice calls, video conferencing, and interactive applications suffer with high latency. Latency depends on distance, network equipment, and congestion. Cloud applications accessed from distant regions experience higher latency than local resources.
Why It Matters
The DSC Perspective:
Latency affects user experience with cloud applications. Video calls, VoIP, and interactive applications require low latency. Consider latency when selecting cloud regions and evaluating network performance.