Access time

Access time is the time delay or latency between a request to an electronic system, and the access being completed or the requested data returned

• In a telecommunications system, access time is the delay between the start of an access attempt and successful access. Access time values are measured only on access attempts that result in successful access.
• In a computer, it is the time interval between the instant at which an instruction control unit initiates a call for data or a request to store data, and the instant at which delivery of the data is completed or the storage is started.

See also

• Memory latency
• Mechanical latency
• Rotational latency
• Seek time
• Comparison of latency and bandwidth
• Throughput
• Lead time
• Process switching latency
• Thread switching latency

 This article incorporates public domain material from the General Services Administration document "Federal Standard 1037C" (in support of MIL-STD-188).