When analyzing server performance, which metric should be monitored to detect packet loss?

Monitoring packet loss is critical for ensuring the performance and reliability of network communications. The packet drop rate specifically measures the percentage of packets that are not successfully delivered from the source to the destination as they traverse a network. This metric directly informs you about how many packets are being lost, allowing you to diagnose issues related to network congestion, faulty hardware, or other problems that can impede data transmission.

Other metrics like throughput, latency, and response time provide valuable insights into different aspects of network performance, but they do not specifically indicate packet loss. Throughput measures the actual rate of successful data transfer over the network, latency reflects the time it takes for a packet to travel from one point to another, and response time is often related to the time it takes for a system to react to a request. While these metrics can be affected by packet loss—higher latency or reduced throughput may indicate issues—none provide a direct measurement of how many packets are being lost in transit. Therefore, monitoring the packet drop rate is essential for a clear understanding of network health in relation to packet loss.