Final answer:
The question pertains to converting an IP address and subnet mask into CIDR notation, where the notation combines the IP address with the count of consecutive '1' bits in the subnet mask. For example, the IP address 192.168.1.0 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 is represented as 192.168.1.0/24 in CIDR.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question involves understanding IP addresses and subnet masks. Specifically, it is about expressing an IP address and its associated subnet mask in Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) notation. The CIDR notation indicates the number of bits in the IP address that are used for the network portion by appending a slash (/) and the count of bits to the end of the IP address. For example, the IP address 192.168.1.0 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 would be written in CIDR notation as 192.168.1.0/24, where 24 signifies that the first 24 bits are dedicated to the network part of the address.
When converting a subnet mask to CIDR notation, you count the number of consecutive '1' bits in the mask starting from the leftmost bit. Each octet (group of 8 bits) in a subnet mask consists of either all '1's (which represents 255 in decimal) or a combination of '1's followed by '0's. A subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 in binary is 11111111.11111111.11111111.00000000, and it has 24 '1' bits before any '0' bits appear—hence the /24 in the CIDR notation.
This method of denotation allows for more flexible network addressing than the older class-based system. It is essential for efficient allocation of IP addresses and management of network infrastructure. Understanding CIDR is crucial for tasks such as configuring routers, designing networks, and managing IP address allocations.