What term describes the transmission to a group of destination devices?

The term that describes the transmission to a group of destination devices is multicast. Multicast communication allows data to be sent from one source to multiple destinations simultaneously without sending separate copies of the data to each destination. This method is particularly efficient in scenarios such as video conferencing or streaming media, where the same data is intended for multiple users at the same time.

In multicast, a single packet is sent to a specific multicast group address, and only devices that have joined that multicast group will receive and process the data. This contrasts with other methods of transmission, such as broadcast, which sends data to all devices on a network segment, or unicast, where data is sent to a single specific device. Point-to-point transmission refers to a direct connection between two specific devices without involving others. Understanding these distinctions helps network professionals make informed decisions on data transmission strategies to optimize network efficiency and performance.