Is 255.255.255.0 the same as 24?
Could you clarify if the subnet mask "255.255.255.0" is functionally equivalent to the CIDR notation of "/24" in terms of network addressing? My understanding is that a subnet mask of "255.255.255.0" represents the first 24 bits of an IP address being dedicated to the network address, while "/24" in CIDR notation specifies the same number of bits for the network prefix. Are these two representations interchangeable or are there specific scenarios where one should be used over the other?