Cyber Fundamentals Block 1 Practice Exam

Communications that do not require a pre-established end-to-end connection are described as connectionless. In this mode, each data unit (packet) is sent independently, with no setup of a session or circuit before transmission. Because there’s no handshake or ongoing connection, resources aren’t reserved for the entire exchange, and delivery and ordering aren’t guaranteed by the network. This is typical of IP networks using UDP, where packets can take different routes and arrive out of order or not at all, leaving reliability to higher-layer protocols or applications. In contrast, a connection-oriented approach establishes a session first, providing a stable path and often in-order, reliable delivery (think TCP). Circuit-switched networks create a dedicated path for the duration of the communication. Reliability isn’t about the mode itself; it’s a property that can apply in different modes, but it doesn’t define whether a connection is established.