Final answer:
A user would use the netstat command to monitor network connections, troubleshoot connectivity issues, and perform security audits by providing details on active connections and network statistics.
Step-by-step explanation:
A user might need to use the netstat command to monitor and troubleshoot network connectivity and view network connection statistics. This command can provide information about open connections, routing tables, interface statistics, masquerade connections, multicast memberships, and more. For example, if a user suspects there are connectivity problems or wants to check if a program is reaching out to the internet, running 'netstat' would provide a list of active connections and listening ports, which can help pinpoint any issues.
Network administrators or regular users with network-related tasks often rely on 'netstat' to ensure a system is communicating as intended. It is also used for security auditing, to ensure no unauthorized connections exist. Because 'netstat' is available on a variety of operating systems including Windows, Linux, and MacOS, its utility is broad and can be applied in different computing environments.