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 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

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from Federal Standard 1037C. General Services Administration. Archived from the original on 2022-01-22. (in support of MIL-STD-188).