What is a defining characteristic of multicast flows compared to unicast flows?

A defining characteristic of multicast flows is that they send data to multiple recipients simultaneously. In a multicast configuration, a single data stream is sent from a source to a specific group of interested receivers, which allows for efficient use of network resources. This means that instead of establishing separate connections for each recipient as in unicast flows, multicast enables the same data packet to be received by multiple devices, thus reducing the overall bandwidth consumption when distributing the same audio or data content to multiple endpoints.

This method is particularly advantageous in systems where the same information needs to be delivered to many users, such as in broadcasting audio or video streams. The ability to reach multiple devices with a single transmission makes multicast an effective solution for applications where there is a need to disseminate content widely without overwhelming the network infrastructure.