HP FlexNetwork 7500 Series Configuration Manual page 12

Broadcast
In broadcast transmission, the information source sends information to all hosts on the subnet, even
if some hosts do not need the information.
Figure 2 Broadcast transmission
In Figure 2, only Host B, Host D, and Host E need the information. If the information is broadcast to
the subnet, Host A and Host C also receive it. In addition to information security issues, broadcasting
to hosts that do not need the information also causes traffic flooding on the same subnet.
Broadcast is disadvantageous in transmitting data to specific hosts. Moreover, broadcast
transmission is a significant waste of network resources.
Multicast
Multicast provides point-to-multipoint data transmissions with the minimum network consumption.
When some hosts on the network need multicast information, the information sender, or multicast
source, sends only one copy of the information. Multicast distribution trees are built through multicast
routing protocols, and the packets are replicated only on nodes where the trees branch.
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