What characterizes a "broadcast storm" in a network?

A broadcast storm is characterized by a situation in which a network becomes overwhelmed with broadcast traffic, leading to a significant amount of collisions and excessive data transmission within the network. This typically occurs in network configurations that allow broadcast packets to be sent to all nodes. As these packets flood the network, they cause collisions when multiple devices attempt to send data simultaneously; this results in the network resources becoming strained and potentially leading to a breakdown in communication for legitimate network requests.

The impacts of a broadcast storm can be detrimental, causing network devices to become unresponsive and hindering overall network performance. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for network administrators, as effective network design and management techniques can prevent such circumstances from arising, ensuring smoother operations.