In electronics, loss refers to the amount of signal that is lost when a device consumes power without accomplishing any useful results while doing so. It can also refer to the amount of data packets that don’t make it from A to B during a wireless connection – usually, that is called packet loss.
Other definitions can include repercussions from security breaches – these losses will usually be employees, customers, financial penalties and more.
Technipages Explains Loss
Loss can be measured in decibels. While generally attributed to measuring noise levels, it’s actually signal loss where it found its origin. Proposed by Bell Telephone Laboratories, decibel proved better at measuring signal loss than the previous unit used did.
This type of loss can occur against different types of connection, but a good example for it would be fibre data connections. Loss could be affected by launch power, receiving hardware, cable quality and, frankly, budget. Cheaper fibre can have a negative impact of course, but the two biggest factors are launch power and receive sensitivity – in other words, the amplitude of the light as it departs the transmitter and the minimum energy needed for the receiver to detect an incoming signal.
If one of those two settings is off, significant data loss and waste of energy can occur. Not enough amplitude means the signal won’t reach its target, for example.
In cybersecurity, loss refers to resources lost through a breach in security. This can take any number of shapes and range from minor problems to millions of dollars in financial damage.
Common Uses of Loss
- Packet loss negatively affects the signal that reaches the user.
- Loss prevention strategies generally try to mitigate potential fallouts.
- Multimode fibres are prone to another type of loss – modal dispersion.
Common Misuses of Loss
- Loss of signal is caused by the satellite dish pointing the wrong way.