What is switching and its types?
An internet is a switched network in which a switch connects at least two links together. A switch needs to forward data from a network to another network when required. In computer networking, there are primarily three types of switching.
Types of switching in computer networking
- Packet Switching
- Circuit Switching
- Message switching
Packet Switching :
In packet switching, data is divided into smaller packets before transmission. Each packet contains a portion of the data, along with addressing information (source and destination addresses). Packets are independently routed through the network and may take different paths to reach the destination. At the destination, packets are reassembled to reconstruct the original data. Internet Protocol (IP) networks use packet switching, where data is transmitted in discrete units (IP packets) across the network.
Circuit Switching :
In circuit switching, a dedicated communication path is established between the source and destination before data transmission. The connection remains in place for the entire duration of the session. Once the connection is established, data flows without any interruptions, and resources are reserved for that specific session. Commonly used in traditional telephone networks (PSTN – Public Switched Telephone Network) where a dedicated circuit is allocated for a phone call.
Message Switching :
Message switching is an older form of data transmission. Data is divided into larger units called messages, with headers containing addressing information. Each message is temporarily stored at each intermediate node before being forwarded to the next node along the path to the destination. It is less efficient than packet switching due to message buffering and queuing at each node. Examples of message-switching protocols include X.400 email systems, which were used in the past but have been largely replaced by more efficient packet-based email protocols.
Difference Between Circuit Switching and Packet Switching and Message Switching
| Switching Type | Circuit Switching | Packet Switching | Message Switching |
| Operation | Dedicated communication path between source and destination until the session ends | Data is divided into packets that are independently routed to the destination | Data is divided into messages with headers, stored temporarily at each intermediate node |
| Efficiency | Less efficient as resources are reserved for the entire duration of the session | More efficient as packets can share network resources and take different paths | Moderately efficient, but not as efficient as packet switching due to message buffering |
| Resource Usage | Higher resource utilization due to dedicated circuits | Better resource utilization as bandwidth is shared among packets | Moderate resource utilization with message buffering at each node |
| Delay | Low delay as the connection is established before data transmission | Higher delay due to packet headers and possible queuing | Moderate delay due to message headers and temporary storage |
| Scalability | Limited scalability for a large number of connections | Highly scalable for large networks and varying traffic | Moderately scalable, but not as flexible as packet switching |
| Error Handling | Circuit disruption can cause complete session failure | Errors can be handled through retransmission and error detection mechanisms | Errors can be addressed through retransmission or requesting the entire message again |
| Examples | Traditional telephone networks (PSTN) | Internet Protocol (IP) networks | X.400 email systems |
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