In the context of networking, what does throughput measure?

Throughput specifically measures the quantity of data that can be transferred from one point to another in a network within a specified timeframe. This metric is critical for evaluating network performance as it provides insight into how efficiently data is transmitted over a connection. It is typically expressed in bits per second (bps) or bytes per second (Bps) and plays a significant role in understanding the real-world effectiveness of networking systems.

Other options focus on different aspects of networking: the maximum speed of a connection refers to the theoretical limits of data transfer rates, which do not necessarily represent real-world performance. Data storage capacity pertains to the amount of information that can be stored on a device or medium, while the security level of data deals with how well the data is protected from unauthorized access or breaches. None of these alternatives directly assess the data transfer rate over time like throughput does.