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

Latency in networking specifically refers to the delay before a transfer of data begins. It is a critical measure of how long it takes for a packet of data to move from one point to another across the network. High latency can lead to noticeable delays in communication, which can affect the performance of applications and services that require real-time data transfers, such as video conferencing or online gaming.

Latency is influenced by various factors, including physical distance, types of network devices involved, and the current traffic load on the network. Understanding latency is important for network administrators to diagnose potential performance issues and optimize network setups to ensure quick and efficient data exchange. This concept is distinct from other terms like bandwidth (which refers to the amount of data that can be transferred), maximum distance (which relates to signal quality over distance), and data transmission rate (which measures how fast data is sent).