Switching

Many numbers of connected devices are called the network. Whenever a company has multiple
devices, there has a problem of how to connected them to make the one to one communication
possible. A better solution to these problems is switching. The chain of an interlink node is called a
switched network. Switches are those devices to provide a temporary connection between two or
more than two devices linked to the switches.

Advantages of Switching

1. Switching increases the bandwidth of the network.

2. It reduces the workload on a single computer.
3. It increases network performance by reducing the traffic on the network.

Disadvantages of Switching

1. It's very costly than bridges.

2. It is very difficult to detect connectivity issues in it.

There are three methods of switching

Normally, there are three methods of switching: circuit switching, packet switching, and message
switching. Circuit switching and Packet switching are both commonly used today days. Packet
switching can be divided into two types virtual-circuit network and the datagram network. The
message switching has been phased out in normal communication but not usable for networking.
Sub-categories of Switching are shown in the below diagram.
Circuit switching
In the circuit switching networking, the physical nodes are connected to a set of switches. Circuit
switching provides a dedicated route made up of one or more links in which each link is split into n
channels. Usually, each link is split into n channels using by FDM or TDM. It is also called as the
connection-oriented switching.
Some essential points in circuit switching:

 Circuit switching occurs work at the physical layer.

 The data transferred between the sender and receiver are not packed. The data are constantly
flow sent by the source node and received by the destination node.

The telephone lines are the best example of circuit switching. The communication in circuit
switching needed to three phases: connection established, data transfer, and connection teardown.
Firstly, it established the connection between the sender and the receiver. Then it can be transferred
to the data for both sides. After complete the data transfer, the connection is disconnected.
Packet Switching
In packet switching, the data is divided into smaller parts. These small parts are known as packets.
There are all each package has its own source address and destination address. Each packet is
further transmitted to the network based on these addresses. When all the packets reach their own
destination address, they are all converted back to the original message. In packet switching, the
network accepts the packets based on FCFS (first come first serve), i.e., the packet that first arrives
is served first. Packet switching is used as an alternative to circuit switching. Packet switching can
be divided into two types:

1. Virtual-Circuit Network
2. Datagram Network

Virtual-Circuit Network
In virtual-circuit network switching, one route is selected between the sender and receiver. All the
packets are transmitted through this one route. Due to being transmitted through a route in virtual-
circuit network switching, all packets reach the destination in systematic and correctly. It is called as
the connection-oriented switching. The virtual-circuit network switching is usually done at the data
link layer.
Datagram Network
In datagram networks, each packet is transmitted independently in the network, i.e., one packet has
no connection with another packet. Packets in this switching network are called as the datagrams.
These packets have a destination address from which they are transmitted in the network. Due to the
packets being independent in datagram packet switching, they are transmitted through different
routes. Which causes the packet to reach the destination poorly. The datagram network switching is
usually done at the network layer. It is also called as connectionless switching.
Difference between Virtual Circuit network and Datagram network?
Virtual Circuit network Datagram network

It is also called as connection-oriented switching. It is also called as connectionless switching.

Virtual circuit networks are highly reliable than the Datagram networks are not reliable than the virtual c
datagram network. network.

The implementation of virtual circuits is expensive The implementation of datagram networks is cost-eff
because a new connection has to be established each because it is not required a new connection to establ
time. each time.

In the virtual circuit network, there is used a fixed path In the datagram network, there is not used a fixed pa
for sending the packets. sending the packets.

In the virtual circuit network, packets reach the In the datagram network, packets reach the destinati
destination in sequence because the packets follow the random order because the packets do not follow the
same path. path.
Advantages of Packet switching

1. It can send high data easily.

2. It is very secure than other switching methods.

Disadvantages of Packet switching

1. If the heavy data is transmitted in the network, then it takes a lot of time.
2. There are many possibilities of corrupting data in this switching.