What does the term ‘ping sweep’ refer to?

The term ‘ping sweep’ refers to scanning a range of IP addresses to determine which ones are active. In network diagnostics, a ping sweep involves sending ICMP Echo Request packets to multiple IP addresses in a specified range and waiting for Echo Reply packets. This process helps network administrators quickly identify live hosts on a network, which can be crucial for troubleshooting, monitoring network health, and mapping out network resources.

This method is efficient because it allows users to check many addresses concurrently, facilitating network management tasks. By revealing which IP addresses respond to the pings, administrators can obtain a clearer picture of the operational status across a given segment of a network.