Pinging

Pinging refers to the action of sending a brief electronic signal to a specific destination, often to check its availability or to measure its response time. This signal, typically a small packet of data, elicits a response from the target system, revealing whether it's online and how quickly it can communicate. The term is commonly used in networking and telecommunications but can also describe similar quick, short-lived interactions in other contexts. The purpose is often diagnostic – to assess the state or responsiveness of a system or device. The term implies a brief, almost instantaneous contact.

Pinging meaning with examples

• The network administrator was pinging the server repeatedly to check for any outages or performance issues before the scheduled database backup. Each successful ping confirmed the server's continued accessibility, giving a high chance of success in the process of data back up. Without successful pings, the backup would have to be rescheduled.
• Before initiating a video conference, the technician ran a series of pings to the remote participants' computers. This enabled the assurance of good connection stability between computers. Low latency readings from the pings helped ensure a smooth, uninterrupted video and audio transmission during the meeting.
• The submarine sent out a ping, its sonar emitting a short burst of sound, to detect any objects or obstacles in its path during a deep sea dive. The time delay of the return of the ping, helped the captain understand the proximity to other objects and potential risks of striking them.
• As the website suffered a momentary disruption, automated monitoring software began pinging the site every few seconds. These quick checks determined the website was temporarily unavailable and the system immediately alerted the webmaster to the potential issue and cause.
• In the game, a player was pinging the location on the map, signaling to their teammates to move towards the indicated position. The quick map-reading led to an immediate response from team members, enabling them to improve their positions. This allowed for a strategic advantage during their game play.