What command is utilized to perform network throughput tests?

The command used to perform network throughput tests is iperf. This tool is specifically designed for measuring the bandwidth and performance of a network connection. It can be used to generate TCP and UDP data streams and measure the throughput of a network that is carrying them. iperf allows users to set parameters such as the amount of data to transfer, the duration of the test, and the type of protocol to use.

In contrast, while nc (Netcat) is a versatile networking tool often used for establishing connections and transferring data, it is not dedicated solely to measuring network throughput. It can be used in a variety of scenarios such as creating network connections but lacks the specific functionalities designed for performance testing typically found in iperf.

Ping is primarily used to check the reachability of a host on a network and to measure the round-trip time for messages sent from the originating host, making it a good tool for diagnosing connectivity issues but not for accurate bandwidth measurement. Similarly, traceroute is used to display the path that a packet takes to reach its destination, helping troubleshoot routing issues, but it does not measure network throughput.

Therefore, iperf is the correct tool to use when you want to specifically measure network throughput performance.