Anycast

Anycast is an addressing method in which multiple servers or network nodes share the same IP address. When a client sends a request to that address, the routing system forwards it to the closest or most easily reachable node from a network perspective. Unlike unicast, which addresses exactly one recipient, or multicast, which delivers a message to several recipients simultaneously, anycast automatically selects the optimal target server from a group of equivalent servers. This reduces response times, distributes load more evenly across multiple locations, and allows another node to take over automatically if one fails. Anycast is mainly used for DNS servers, content delivery networks and protection against DDoS attacks, as it spreads and absorbs attack traffic across several locations.