Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) sparse mode is designed for efficient multicast routing in networks where receivers are sparsely distributed across a wide area. It operates on a pull model, meaning that multicast traffic is only forwarded to network segments where there are active receivers that have explicitly requested the traffic. This is achieved through the use of a Rendezvous Point (RP), which acts as a central point for receivers to register their interest in joining a specific multicast group. When a receiver wants to join a group, it signals its local router, which then uses PIM to signal the RP. The RP then coordinates the delivery of multicasttraffic from the source to the interested receivers, creating a distribution tree that spans the network.