Describe what a "broadcast storm" is.

A broadcast storm occurs when there is an excessive amount of broadcast traffic on a network, which can severely disrupt network performance. In networking, broadcast packets are intended for all devices on a given network segment; however, when broadcasts increase beyond normal operational levels, it can lead to congestion. This can overwhelm network resources, reducing the overall throughput and performance for all devices on that segment.

In scenarios where devices are configured to send broadcast messages, such as ARP requests, a broadcast storm can result from one device sending too many broadcast packets, or due to improper network designs like loops created without adequate switch management protocols. As the broadcasts keep propagating across the network, they can create a feedback loop, intensifying the packet flow and leading to severe performance degradation or even network outages.

By understanding what a broadcast storm is, network engineers can implement measures to mitigate such issues, like using VLANs, designing network topologies carefully, and implementing protocols such as Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) that help to route broadcast traffic more efficiently.