Source-specific multicast
Okay, so imagine you're at a birthday party with all your friends. Your friend's mom brings out a big cake and everyone happily shares a slice. That's like regular multicasting, when one person sends a message to lots of other people and they all receive the same message.
Now, let's say another friend's mom brings out some cupcakes. But she only gives them to a few specific friends, not to everyone. That's like source-specific multicasting, where one person sends a message to only certain people, not everyone.
In computers, we use something called an IP address to talk to each other. And just like people have phone numbers or addresses to reach us, computers have IP addresses to reach each other.
So with source-specific multicast, we use the IP address of the computer sending the message and the IP addresses of the computers receiving the message to make sure it only goes to the right people.
It's like the cupcakes at the birthday party - only certain friends are supposed to get them, not everyone. And with source-specific multicast, only certain computers are supposed to receive the message, not everyone.
Now, let's say another friend's mom brings out some cupcakes. But she only gives them to a few specific friends, not to everyone. That's like source-specific multicasting, where one person sends a message to only certain people, not everyone.
In computers, we use something called an IP address to talk to each other. And just like people have phone numbers or addresses to reach us, computers have IP addresses to reach each other.
So with source-specific multicast, we use the IP address of the computer sending the message and the IP addresses of the computers receiving the message to make sure it only goes to the right people.
It's like the cupcakes at the birthday party - only certain friends are supposed to get them, not everyone. And with source-specific multicast, only certain computers are supposed to receive the message, not everyone.