CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

Which of the following describes Multicast?

1. Sending information to a single node

2. Information delivery to interested systems

3. Information delivery to all network nodes equally

4. Providing services through anycast addressing

The correct answer is: Information delivery to interested systems

Multicast is characterized by its ability to send information to a specific group of interested systems rather than broadcasting it to all nodes on the network or targeting a single recipient. In a multicast setting, data is transmitted to a predefined group of devices that have expressed interest in receiving that particular stream of information. This is particularly efficient, as it optimizes network resources by ensuring that only the devices that need the information are reached, reducing unnecessary traffic to other systems. This contrasts with other methods of data delivery. For example, unicast represents a one-to-one communication, where data is sent from one source to a single destination. Broadcasting sends data to all devices on a network segment, which can create unnecessary congestion. Anycast, on the other hand, is a method directing packets to the nearest member of a group, not applicable in the same way as multicast. This efficiency and targeted approach make multicast a vital technology in many networking scenarios, especially in applications such as streaming media, where a single source needs to deliver content to multiple users at once without overwhelming the network.