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Classless inter-domain routing (CIDR) is a set of Internet protocol (IP) standards that is used to create unique identifiers for networks and individual devices. The IP addresses allow particular information packets to be sent to specific computers. Shortly after the introduction of CIDR, technicians found it difficult to track and label IP addresses, so a notation system was developed to make the process more efficient and standardized. That system is known as CIDR notation.
CIDR notations are usually used by network operators to clearly identify the number of subnets and hosts in a particular network address in one look instead of calculating the whole thing using the subnet mask.
It is also time saving technique because when communicating, the CIDR notation is a lot simpler to write and to say with a very low chance of making a mistake.
Example:
Without CIDR:IP Address:..1.
Subnet:...0
With CIDR:..1./
If you still don't understand how easy CIDR makes communication easy, try reading the example as if you are telling your colleague who is around8 meters away from you. You'll get the picture.Also, network analysts and technicians prefer to use the CIDR notation to configure routers.
Much easier, time saving and error resistant.Without CIDR, nothing would go awry actually. But without, it makes the concept of CLASSLESS INTER DOMAIN ROUTING just not CLASSLESS anymore, so to speak. CIDR is a standard, and just adding the /xx suffix after the IP address makes it recognizable that the following address has been subnetted CLASSLESSly.
