Unicast

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In computer networking, unicast transmission is the sending of messages to a single network destination host on a packet switching network.

The term unicast is formed in analogy to the term broadcast which means transmitting the same data to all possible destinations. Another multi-destination distribution method, multicasting, sends data only to interested destinations by using special address assignments.

Unicast messaging is used for all network processes in which a private or unique resource is requested.

Certain network applications which are mass-distributed are too costly to be conducted with unicast transmission since each network connection consumes computing resources on the sending host and requires its own separate network bandwidth for transmission. Such applications include streaming media of many forms. Internet radio stations using unicast connections may have high bandwidth costs.

These terms are also used by streaming content providers' services. Unicast-based media servers open and provide a stream for each unique user. Multicast-based servers can support a larger audience by serving content simultaneously to multiple users.

[edit] See also

• Internet protocol suite

[edit] References

• "Differences Between Multicast and Unicast". Microsoft. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291786. Retrieved 2008-02-04. 

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