UNIT 5: SWITCHING

(CIRCUIT SWITCHED NETWORKS, PACKET SWITCHING, MESSAGE

SWITCHING)

T HAIDUWA
INTRODUCTION

• Switching is a fundamental concept in

telecommunications.
• It ensures data reaches the intended destination.
• It applies various techniques and technologies for
routing signals or data from one point to another.
 DEFINING SWITCHING

• Switching refers to the process of establishing, maintaining, and terminating connections for the
purpose of transmitting information
• A switched network consists of a series of interlinked nodes, called switches.
• Switches are devices capable of creating temporary connections between two or more devices linked
to the switch.
• In a switched network, some of these nodes are connected to the end systems.
• Switching devices establish connections between nodes that need to communicate over a network.
• Switching algorithms (routing protocols), help a host determine how it must send a packet to another
host.
 TELECOMMUNICATION SWITCHING

There are many redundant connection paths on the Internet, with backbones and ISPs
connecting to each other in multiple locations.
Therefore, there are many possible paths between two hosts.
 For instance, two packets of the same message can take two different routes depending
on congestion and other factors in different possible routes. This is known as routing.
When all the packets finally reach the destination, they are re-assembled into the
original message at the receiver’s end.
TYPES OF SWITCHING TECHNIQUES

• Switching techniques are alternative to dedicated lines,

whereby data is routed through various nodes in a network.
• It forms a temporary route for the data to be transmitted.
• Commonly types of switching techniques (broad category) are:
1. Circuit Switching
2. Message Switching
3. Packet Switching
NETWORK SWITCHING TECHNIQUES
1. CIRCUIT SWITCHING

• A switched network consists of a series of interlinked nodes, called switches.

• Switches are devices capable of creating temporary connections between two or more devices
linked to the switch.

• In circuit switching, a dedicated communication path is established between the source

and destination for the duration of the call.
• All packets follow the same path established during the connection.
• It is commonly used in traditional voice networks (Public Switched Telephone Networks).
• Circuit-switched (for voice calls)- efficient for continuous, and real-time communication
like voice calls. It reserves all the bandwidth for a connection in advance.
 CIRCUIT SWITCHING

When sending data across a network, there are three stages:

1. First, a circuit/channel between sender and receiver must be established.
2. Data transfer then takes place.
3. After the data transfer is complete, the connection is terminated.
 SUMMARY: CIRCUIT SWITCHING

• Communication Links are connected to switching centres, which connect from one node to another
on demand.
• When the sender wants to send data, a request signal is sent to the receiver then the receiver sends
back the acknowledgement to ensure the availability of the dedicated path.
• After receiving the acknowledgement, the dedicated path transfers the data.
• Circuit switching is suitable for file transfers and longer transmissions such as voice transmission.
• The circuit switching technique is used mostly in a telephone network.
• Circuit switching uses a dedicated channel/circuit that lasts throughout the connection/communication
 2. PACKET SWITCHING
• In packet switching, data is divided into packets, each with a destination address.
• In Packet switching, all transmitted data is divided into groups – regardless of content, type, or structure.
• These suitably sized blocks are called packets.
• Each packet has two parts:
1. Header: containing the address of the destination and other information, and
2. Main message

• Packets are routed independently through the network and reassembled at the destination and the complete
message is received by the receiver.
• Different packets of the same message may take different routes depending on availability.
• Packet-switched (for data) approaches.
CONT’D

 Packet Switching is used in modern data networks, including the Internet.

 Provides more efficient use of network resources and supports various types of data.
 When traversing data via network adapters, switches, routers and other network nodes,
packets are buffered and queued, resulting in variable throughput or delay depending
on the traffic load in the network.
 Each packet includes complete addressing or routing information.
TYPES OF PACKET SWITCHING

 There are two major packet switching modes that exist:

(1) Connectionless packet switching, also known as datagram switching.
(2) Connection-oriented packet switching, also known as virtual circuit
switching.
PACKET SWITCHING

» Each packet follows its own path

» The shortest path available is selected
» Packets can reach the destination in a different order to that in which they are
sent.
 SUMMARY: PACKET SWITCHING

• Packet switching offers flexibility in connecting to a network.

• In packet switching, messages are divided at the source into fixed-length chunks, called packets. About 128 bytes.

• Each packet, can be transmitted independently, to each other from the start point to the endpoint.

• The data packets will need to be reassembled into their correct order at the destination

• All If any packet is missing or corrupted, then the message will be sent to resend the message.

• If the correct order of the packets is reached, then the acknowledgement message will be sent.

• Packets will travel across the network, taking the shortest path possible.

• Packet-switched networks can further be divided into two subcategories:

1) Virtual-circuit Networks (Connection-oriented packet switching)
2) Datagram Networks (Connectionless packet switching)
3. MESSAGE SWITCHING
 Message switching is a network switching technique in which data is routed/transmitted in its
entirety(complete messages), from the source node to the destination node, one hop or
destination at a time.
 During message routing, every intermediate switch in the network stores the whole message.
 Messages are received at a node (e.g., a switching centre) and stored temporarily before being
forwarded to the next node. This is known as "store-and-forward" processing.
 It is one of the early methods of data transmission and has largely been replaced by more
efficient techniques like packet switching, which is used in modern computer networks,
including the Internet.
MESSAGE SWITCHING
 SUMMARY: MESSAGE SWITCHING

• Message switching is a network switching technique in which data is routed in its entirety from the
source node to the destination node, one hope at a time.
• In the Message Switching technique, the destination address is appended to the message.
• Each node stores the entire message and then forwards it to the next node. This network is known as a
store and forward network.
• Message switches are programmed in such a way that they can provide the most efficient routes.
MESSAGE SWITCHING HAS SEVERAL
LIMITATIONS
• Inefficiency
• Variable Delay
• Limited Scalability
• Security concerns
NETWORK SWITCH VS ROUTER

• A switch is a network device with multiple

interfaces or ports that connects multiple
devices to create a network
• A router connects multiple switches and their
respective nodes.
• Routers are more intelligent than switches.