Latency

Latency is the time it takes for data to get from one designated point to another. It measures the delay between the input into a system and the desired outcome. Latency is an important concept in cloud computing and other network systems.

High latency means there is a long delay between a request being sent and received. For example, if you click a link on a webpage and it takes 10 seconds for the new page to load, that is high latency. Low latency refers to a short delay - pages load faster because there is less lag time in data transfer. A latency of 100 milliseconds or less is generally desirable for normal operations. Minimizing latency is crucial for time-sensitive processes like streaming, gaming, stock trading etc. Improving latency involves optimizing network routes, using closer servers, and reducing bandwidth congestion. Techniques like caching and load balancing help decrease latency. Overall, lower latency results in faster, smoother system performance and better quality of service.