The full name of CRC is Cyclic Redundancy Check.
CRC is an error-detecting code commonly used in digital networks and storage devices to detect accidental changes to raw data. Blocks of data entering these systems get a short check value attached, based on the remainder of a polynomial division of their contents. On retrieval, the calculation is repeated, and corrective action can be taken against presumed data corruption if the check values do not match.
Here's a breakdown of the components:
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Cyclic: Refers to the cyclical nature of the calculations involved. It uses polynomial division, where the divisor is fixed and the dividend is the data being checked.
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Redundancy: Indicates that extra (redundant) data (the checksum) is added to the original data to allow for error detection.
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Check: Represents the error detection process itself. The CRC value is a checksum that allows the system to verify the integrity of the data.
Essentially, CRC acts as a digital fingerprint for data, allowing systems to verify data integrity efficiently.