Why does the Bits/sec view differ from the byte view?

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KayesPotrinak
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2022 7:29 am

Why does the Bits/sec view differ from the byte view?

Post by KayesPotrinak »

As I'm reviewing the summary view of a datasource on our ASR9K router, I notice that the bytes view for a particular moment in time indicates 1.4 gigabytes, which roughly aligns with what we see in our Cacti instance for the same timeframe when converted to bits. However, when I switch to Bits/sec, it displays around 31 M bits/sec for that same period, which seems a bit perplexing. Is there something I'm missing in my understanding of this view?
HimesTimmerla
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2022 11:57 pm

Re: Why does the Bits/sec view differ from the byte view?

Post by HimesTimmerla »

It's great that you're reviewing the summary view of a datasource on your ASR9K router and comparing it to the data in your Cacti instance. The difference you're observing between the bytes view and the Bits/sec view can be explained by how the two measurements are calculated and displayed.

In the bytes view, you mentioned that you observed 1.4 gigabytes for a particular moment in time. When you convert this to bits, you would multiply it by 8 (since there are 8 bits in a byte), resulting in 11.2 gigabits. This aligns with what you see in your Cacti instance when converted to bits.

However, when you switch to the Bits/sec view, it displays around 31 M bits/sec for the same period. This value represents the rate of data transfer over time, specifically the number of bits transmitted per second during that timeframe. It's important to note that this value is not the total accumulated data but rather the average rate over the given period.

The reason you're observing a lower value in the Bits/sec view is because it represents the average rate of data transfer over that period, whereas the bytes view represents the total amount of data transferred. The average rate can be influenced by fluctuations in network traffic, varying data transfer speeds, or other factors affecting the data flow during the measured timeframe.

In summary, the bytes view provides you with the total data transferred, while the Bits/sec view gives you the average rate of data transfer over time. The difference in values is due to the nature of the measurements and should not be a cause for concern.
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