What does the acronym IGMP stand for?

The acronym IGMP stands for Internet Group Management Protocol. It is a communication protocol used by hosts and adjacent routers on IP networks to establish multicast group memberships. In essence, IGMP enables devices to inform their local router that they wish to receive data addressed to a specific multicast address. This functionality is vital for efficient data transmission in networks that utilize multicast communication, such as those involving streaming audio or video.

Understanding IGMP is crucial in the context of DANTE networks, where managing multicast traffic effectively is key to minimizing network congestion and ensuring reliable audio delivery. This is especially important for audio applications where multiple devices may need to receive the same audio stream simultaneously.