Which information does the routing table provide regarding a network?

The routing table is a fundamental component in networking, as it contains information about the paths that data packets can take to reach their destination across a network. It provides details regarding various network routes, including the destination addresses, subnet masks, and the next hops. This enables routers and switches to make informed decisions about how to forward packets efficiently and effectively.

Understanding the content of a routing table is crucial for network management and troubleshooting. The routes in the table can indicate which network segments are directly reachable and which ones require additional hops through other devices. This structured information helps in optimizing data flow within the network, ensuring that packets take the most efficient path.

The other options, while relevant to different aspects of networking or computing, do not pertain to what a routing table provides. For instance, active connections relate to the currently open communication channels, active processes concern the running programs on a device, and file permissions are associated with access rights for files in a file system. All these aspects address different functionalities not captured by the routing table's focus on network paths.