Chapter
Packet and Circuit Switching
Chapter Objectives
• Explain the concept of packet switching
• Give sample application areas of packet switching
• Describe circuit switching• Compare and contrast packet
switching with circuit switching
Chapter Modules
• Packet switching• Packet switching applications• Circuit switching applications
Module
Packet Switching
Packet Switching Preview
• Explain the concept of a path or a route taken by a packet
• Study the difference between static and dynamic paths?
• Relate appropriately the terms packet switching and circuit switching to the terms dynamic and static paths
• Explore the path taken by a packets in dynamic routing when a packet travels from its origin to its destination
The Concept of Path in Communication
• A path is a route for data to travel between two nodes in a network
• Dynamic path– In this case, the path often changes from
packet to packet– Example: Packet Switching
• Static path– Path is initially established and it remains
unchanged for the duration of the communication session
– Example: Circuit Switching
Packet Switching Network
Los Angeles
NewYork
Packet 2
Packet 1 Miami
Salient Points of Packet Switching
• Path – Each packet may take a different path
to its destination– Best path is heuristically determined
at each node
• Packet switching– Path may be switched among packets– Hence, the term packet switching
Key Words
• Packet and circuit switching• Dynamic and static paths
End of Module
Module
Advantages and Disadvantages of Packet
Switching
Questions
• What are the major advantages and disadvantages of packet switching?
• Could the Internet be called a packet switching network?
• How does packet switching help in supporting multiple communication sessions?
• How does a web server support multiple access to its contents? Explain in terms of packets that travel from the web server to their various destinations.
Questions (continued)
• What are the implications of packet switching to the transmission of audio and video in real time?
• How are the above problems addressed in streaming?
Major Advantages
• Better utilization of the network segments in terms of the usage of the network paths
• Ability to engage in multiple communication sessions
Dynamic Assignment of Paths
Los Angeles
NewYork
Miami
LasVegas
Support for Multiple Communication Sessions
Los Angeles
NewYork
Miami
LasVegas
Session 1
Session 2
Disadvantage or a Concern
• Packets may not arrive at their destination in the order in which they were originally transmitted
• The above possibility exists because of the different paths that are taken by the different packets
Order of Arrival of Packets
Los Angeles
NewYork
Packet 2
Packet 1
Miami
Packet 2 may arrive earlier than Packet 1.
Packet Assembly
• Packets are assembled to preserve the order of transmission
• Packets arriving earlier are held in a buffer
• The order of arrival is critical and in certain cases the order is time sensitive as well
Transmission of Audio and Video in Packet Switching
• Transmission of audio and video are time sensitive– Timely arrival of packet is important
• The process that would ensure the orderly and timely arrival of data packets is known as streaming
• Streaming also compresses the data to minimize bandwidth requirements thus ensuring that the packets have adequate bandwidth to travel to the destination in the order in which they are supposed to arrive at the destination
Buffering in Streaming
• Streamed audio or video is often buffered to ensure that the audio or video is played continuously
Advantages And Disadvantages
• Advantages– Efficient use of the network paths– Engage in multiple sessions
• Disadvantages– Additional hardware and software resources
are required to assemble and route the packets
– If real-time continuity is stipulated then the data must be subjected to a process known as streaming
Special Concerns
• Audio and video transmission– Streaming is used
• Voice Over IP (VoIP) is designed deploy telephony over the Internet
Newer Advancements for Real Time Transmission of
Information
• Faster Internet speed• Better technology
– IPv6– Better streaming technologies
Questions
• What are the major advantages and disadvantages of packet switching?
• Could the Internet be called as a packet switching network?
• How does packet switching help in supporting multiple communication sessions?
• How does a web server support multiple access to its contents? Explain in terms of packets that travel from the web server to their various destinations on the Internet.
Questions (continued)
• What are the implications of packet switching to the transmission of audio and video in real time?– Relate the above to Voice over IP
transmission.
• How are the above problems addressed in streaming?
End of Module End of Module
MODULE
Packet Switching Applications
Questions• Give a simple example of packet
switching application• Relate packet switching to multiple
session applications on the Internet and give examples of multiple session applications
• Describe audio transmission challenges on packet-switched networks
Questions (Continued)
• List the packet switching technologies used in WANs
• Explain the emergence of the concept of fixed length packets or cells in packet switching networks– Name a cell based transmission
technology and state its applications
Internet: An Application of Packet
Switching
Los Angeles
NewYork
Packet N1
Packet M1
Miami
Server in Los Angeles supports multiple access to the webover a packet switched connection.
InternetServer
Ramp
Support for Multiple Sessions
Los Angeles
NewYork
Packet 2
Packet 1Miami
Packets are displayed on different sessions on the screen.
Houston
Session LASession HU
Applications Using Multiple-Sessions
• Sharing• Collaboration• Multiple access to an Internet
server• etc.
Packet Delivery
Sharing of Worddocument onInternet underMicrosoft NetMeeting
Packets fromorigin 1:N1, N2
Packetsfrom Origin 2:M1, M2
SCREEN
Audio Transmission Over Packet Switching
Network• Relatively high speeds are required on
the network• Data compression and other techniques
are used to ensure continuity know as streaming
• Sample applications:– Audio streaming on the Internet
• RealAudio is an example of a streaming software
Usage of Packet Switching
• Large computer networks with multiple routers
• WAN in general• Internet in particular
Packet Switching WAN Technologies
• Past and Present– X.25 Packet Switching
• Present and Near Future– Frame Relay
• Present and Future– Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)– ATM is also known as Cell Relay
ATM
• Asynchronous Transmission Method (ATM)
• Based on fixed length packets• Switches instead of routers are used
to route the information on a network
• This is the emerging technology in WAN transmission
• (Include more information on ATM)
Recollecting the Concept of Cell
Packet varies in size
Cell is of fixed length
Data
Data
Questions• Give a simple example of packet
switching application• Relate packet switching to multiple
session applications on the Internet and give examples of multiple session applications
• Describe audio transmission challenges on packet-switched networks
Questions (Continued)
• List the packet switching technologies used in WANs
• Explain the emergence of the concept of fixed length packets or cells in packet switching networks– Name a cell based transmission
technology and state its applications
End of ModuleEnd of Module
MODULE 5
Circuit Switching
Questions
• Explain the concepts of circuit switching. How does it function?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of circuit switching?
• Name some applications of circuit switching
• Compare circuit switching with packet switching
Circuit Switching Network
Los Angeles
NewYork
Circuit established and maintained for entire duration of communication.
Established CircuitSwitch
Defining Characteristics of Circuit Switching
• Establish (switch) a path (circuit) between two nodes of communication
• Maintain the circuit for the full duration of communication session
Advantages of Circuit Switching
• Continuity assured in the order of transmission
• Audio can be transmitted without streaming provided adequate bandwidth is available– Otherwise streaming is necessary
• The overhead is low in switching a circuit
Disadvantages of Circuit Switching
• Inefficient use of the paths that are available within a network– This may lead to circuit saturation
• Users can be locked out of the network
• Multiple sessions cannot easily be implemented although it is possible to have multiple sessions
Circuit Saturation
Los Angeles
NewYork
Established Circuit
Saturation point.
Miami
Areas of Applications
• Voice/Video communications– Telephone network
• Both analog and digital telecommunication lines can be circuit switched
• ISDN
More on ISDN
• ISDN has two B channels and one D channel– B channel is used for data and D
channel is used for monitoring and control of the data transmission
• B channels are circuit switched and the D channels are packet switched
Packet Switching Circuit Switching_______________________________________________
•Efficient use of network Inefficient use •High overhead Low overhead•Computer data Audio and video•Audio and video transmissions are, however, possible •Multiple sessions possible Multiple sessions are easily implemented are possible, however it requires additional hardware and software
Comparison
Questions
• Explain the concepts of circuit switching. How does it function?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of circuit switching?
• Name some applications of circuit switching
• Compare circuit switching with packet switching
END OF MODULE END OF MODULE
END OF MODULE 5 END OF MODULE 5
END OF CHAPTER END OF CHAPTER