bottleneck

What is Bottleneck (in computer networking)?

A bottleneck is a situation that occurs when network servers and components are unable to meet demand. The bottleneck is the particular network component or server subsystem that is causing the problem.

For example, if users on a Microsoft Windows NT or Windows 2000–based network are complaining that it takes too long to log on in the morning, the bottleneck and its potential resolution might be

• Not enough domain controllers to handle logon requests (The solution: add more domain controllers)
• The domain controller does not have enough memory to process large numbers of simultaneous logons (The solution: add more RAM)
• Network bandwidth is saturated in the morning with directory replication traffic (The solution: reschedule directory replication or upgrade to 100-Mbps Ethernet)

The primary tool for analyzing and resolving network bottlenecks is the Windows NT administrative tool Performance Monitor (or the Performance snap-in tool for Windows 2000). To learn about how to identify and correct bottlenecks using Performance Monitor, consider taking the Microsoft Official Curriculum (MOC) course MS 689, «Supporting Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 - Enterprise Technologies».