The devices within the network itself are typically unaware of the content of the individual packets. Only visible is the address of the final destination. These addresses are often referred to as IP addresses, represented in a dotted decimal format such as 10.10.10.10. Each packet is sent independently from one location to another. At each location, a routing decision is made as to which path to use to forward the packet towards its final destination. This would be like writing a long message to a friend using ten postcards. Each postcard has the destination address of the recipient. As the postcards are forwarded through the postal system, the destination address is used to determine the next path that postcard should take. Eventually, they will be delivered to the address on the postcards.