Which of the following is a feature of multicast?

In the context of multicast, the correct answer centers around the concept of using a specific IP address that corresponds to a multicast group. Multicast communication allows data to be sent from one sender to multiple receivers simultaneously, but it does so using a specific range of IP addresses designated for multicast groups, typically in the range of 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255.

This specific approach to addressing enables efficient use of network resources, as it avoids the excessive bandwidth consumption that occurs with broadcast communication (which sends data to all hosts on a network) and caters to applications like video conferencing, streaming, or any service where a single data source is meant for multiple recipients.

The other options don’t accurately describe multicast functionality: broadcasting sends packets to all devices in the network, unicast involves one-to-one communication between a sender and a single receiver, and connection-oriented communication suggests a setup that requires a dedicated path or session, which isn't inherent to multicast design, as it is fundamentally connection-less by nature. Understanding these distinctions is crucial when applying multicast in network settings.