What unique identification number does a network interface controller (NIC) provide?

What unique identification number does a network interface controller (NIC) provide?

• A. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) address
• B. Media access control (MAC) address
• C. Organizationally unique identifier (OUI) address
• D. Serial attached small computer system interface (SAS) address

Answer: (B)

The network interface controller (NIC) provides a media access control (MAC) address, which is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications at the data link layer of a network. The MAC address enables devices on a local network to be identified and allows for the proper routing of packets to and from those devices. A MAC address is a 48-bit number usually represented in hexadecimal format, consisting of six groups of two digits. Every NIC is assigned a unique MAC address by the manufacturer, which ensures that no two devices on the same local network have the same address, thus preventing communication conflicts. While terms like Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) address and Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI) address are relevant in the context of network addressing, they do not specifically refer to the unique identification number provided by a NIC itself. The IEEE sets standards for MAC addresses, and the OUI is a portion of the MAC address allocated to manufacturers, but the MAC address is the complete identifier used in networking scenarios. The Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) address pertains to a different set of technologies and does not relate to NICs. Thus, identifying the MAC address as the unique identification number provided by the NIC is essential for understanding how data

The network interface controller (NIC) provides a media access control (MAC) address, which is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications at the data link layer of a network. The MAC address enables devices on a local network to be identified and allows for the proper routing of packets to and from those devices.

A MAC address is a 48-bit number usually represented in hexadecimal format, consisting of six groups of two digits. Every NIC is assigned a unique MAC address by the manufacturer, which ensures that no two devices on the same local network have the same address, thus preventing communication conflicts.

While terms like Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) address and Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI) address are relevant in the context of network addressing, they do not specifically refer to the unique identification number provided by a NIC itself. The IEEE sets standards for MAC addresses, and the OUI is a portion of the MAC address allocated to manufacturers, but the MAC address is the complete identifier used in networking scenarios. The Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) address pertains to a different set of technologies and does not relate to NICs. Thus, identifying the MAC address as the unique identification number provided by the NIC is essential for understanding how data