Understanding 95th Percentile Bandwidth Usage

The 95th percentile bandwidth usage refers to the amount of network bandwidth that is consumed by a user or application 95% of the time. It is a measure of the peak traffic usage of the network and is often used by ISPs to bill customers for their usage. This means that for 5% of the time, the bandwidth usage is higher than the measured 95th percentile value.

The 95th percentile bandwidth measurement is a method commonly used to assess network usage in terms of bandwidth. It is particularly prevalent in the context of internet service providers (ISPs), data centers, and network service providers. Here's how it works:

1. Data Collection: Over a specific period, typically a month, the network's bandwidth usage is continuously measured at regular intervals, such as every 5 minutes. The measurements capture the amount of data transferred (typically in bits per second) during each interval.
2. Sorting and Ranking: The collected measurements are sorted in ascending order from lowest to highest bandwidth usage values.
3. Calculation: The 95th percentile is determined by identifying the highest bandwidth usage value below which 95% of the measured values fall. This means that 5% of the highest bandwidth measurements are excluded from the calculation. The 95th percentile value represents a threshold or cap for bandwidth usage.

For example, consider a customer's bandwidth measurements for a month. If the 95th percentile bandwidth value is 100 Mbps, it means that 95% of the time, the customer's bandwidth usage remained below 100 Mbps. The customer would be billed based on their usage up to 100 Mbps, even if they occasionally experienced short bursts of higher bandwidth.

What is the Purpose of 95th Percentile Bandwidth Usage Measurement

The 95th percentile bandwidth measurement helps ISPs and service providers avoid penalizing customers for occasional spikes in bandwidth usage while still providing a predictable and manageable billing structure. It encourages efficient use of network resources and ensures a fair billing system based on sustained usage rather than short-lived peaks.

Further Reading

Calculating 95th Percentile Bandwidth Usage