To calculate the 95th percentile bandwidth usage, you need a set of bandwidth measurements taken at regular intervals over a specific period (e.g., a month). Here's a step-by-step process to determine the 95th percentile value:
- Sort the Measurements: Arrange the bandwidth measurements in ascending order from the lowest to the highest value.
- Calculate the Index: Determine the index corresponding to the 95th percentile. It can be calculated using the formula:
Index = (95/100) * N
where N is the total number of measurements in the dataset.
- Round up the Index: If the calculated index is not an integer, round it up to the next whole number. This ensures you exclude the upper 5% of the measurements.
- Find the Value: The 95th percentile value is the measurement at the rounded index. It represents the highest bandwidth usage below which 95% of the measurements fall.
For example, let's assume you have a set of 100 bandwidth measurements:
5 Mbps, 10 Mbps, 15 Mbps, 20 Mbps, ..., 95 Mbps, 100 Mbps
To calculate the 95th percentile bandwidth usage:
- Sort the measurements in ascending order:
5 Mbps, 10 Mbps, 15 Mbps, ..., 95 Mbps, 100 Mbps
- Calculate the index:
Index = (95/100) * 100 = 95
- Round up the index to the nearest whole number: 95 (since it's already a whole number).
- Find the value at the 95th index: The 95th percentile bandwidth usage is 95 Mbps.
This means that 95% of the time, the bandwidth usage remained below 95 Mbps, and the customer would be billed based on their usage up to this value.
Remember, the 95th percentile measurement allows for occasional spikes or bursts in bandwidth usage while providing a fair representation of sustained usage.