Final answer:
In computer networking, a 'flow' is a series of packets transmitted from a source to a destination within a specified time frame, which provides insight into network traffic for analysis and troubleshooting.
Step-by-step explanation:
A flow can be defined as a set of packets passing from a source system to a destination system in a given time interval. In the context of computer networking, a flow is a sequence of packets sent from a particular sender to a particular unicast, anycast, or multicast recipient. By monitoring these flows, network administrators can understand traffic behavior and patterns, troubleshoot network problems, and ensure network security and performance.
Flows are used in network analysis and can encompass a variety of information, such as the source and destination IP addresses, port numbers, and protocol used. Tools like NetFlow or sFlow can be employed for capturing and analyzing these flows for the purpose of network traffic analysis, capacity planning, and security monitoring.