Switching

Switching techniques
In large networks, there can be multiple paths from sender to receiver. The switching
technique will decide the best route for data transmission.

Switching technique is used to connect the systems for making one-to-one communication.

Classification Of Switching Techniques

Switching is process to forward packets coming in from one port to a port leading
towards the destination. When data comes on a port it is called ingress, and when data leaves
a port or goes out it is called egress. A communication system may include number of
switches and nodes. At broad level, switching can be divided into two major categories:

 Connectionless: The data is forwarded on behalf of forwarding tables. No previous

handshaking is required and acknowledgements are optional.
 Connection Oriented: Before switching data to be forwarded to destination, there is
a need to pre-establish circuit along the path between both endpoints. Data is then
forwarded on that circuit. After the transfer is completed, circuits can be kept for
future use or can be turned down immediately.

Circuit Switching

When two nodes communicate with each other over a dedicated communication path,
it is called circuit switching.There 'is a need of pre-specified route from which data will
travels and no other data is permitted.In circuit switching, to transfer the data, circuit must be
established so that the data transfer can take place.
Circuits can be permanent or temporary. Applications which use circuit switching may have
to go through three phases:

 Establish a circuit
 Transfer the data
 Disconnect the circuit

Circuit Switching
o Circuit switching is a switching technique that establishes a dedicated path between
sender and receiver.
o In the Circuit Switching Technique, once the connection is established then the
dedicated path will remain to exist until the connection is terminated.
o Circuit switching in a network operates in a similar way as the telephone works.
o A complete end-to-end path must exist before the communication takes place.
o In case of circuit switching technique, when any user wants to send the data, voice,
video, a request signal is sent to the receiver then the receiver sends back the
acknowledgment to ensure the availability of the dedicated path. After receiving the
acknowledgment, dedicated path transfers the data.
o Circuit switching is used in public telephone network. It is used for voice
transmission.
o Fixed data can be transferred at a time in circuit switching technology.

Circuit switching was designed for voice applications. Telephone is the best suitable example
of circuit switching. Before a user can make a call, a virtual path between caller and callee is
established over the network.
Message Switching

This technique was somewhere in middle of circuit switching and packet switching.
In message switching, the whole message is treated as a data unit and is switching /
transferred in its entirety.

A switch working on message switching, first receives the whole message and buffers
it until there are resources available to transfer it to the next hop. If the next hop is not having
enough resource to accommodate large size message, the message is stored and switch waits.

o Message Switching is a switching technique in which a message is transferred as a

complete unit and routed through intermediate nodes at which it is stored and
forwarded.
o In Message Switching technique, there is no establishment of a dedicated path
between the sender and receiver.
o The destination address is appended to the message. Message Switching provides a
dynamic routing as the message is routed through the intermediate nodes based on the
information available in the message.
o Message switches are programmed in such a way so that they can provide the most
efficient routes.
o Each and every node stores the entire message and then forward it to the next node.
This type of network is known as store and forward network.
o Message switching treats each message as an independent entity.
 This technique was considered substitute to circuit switching. As in circuit switching the
whole path is blocked for two entities only. Message switching is replaced by packet
switching. Message switching has the following drawbacks:

 Every switch in transit path needs enough storage to accommodate entire message.
 Because of store-and-forward technique and waits included until resources are
available, message switching is very slow.
 Message switching was not a solution for streaming media and real-time applications.

Packet Switching

Shortcomings of message switching gave birth to an idea of packet switching. The entire
message is broken down into smaller chunks called packets. The switching information is
added in the header of each packet and transmitted independently.

It is easier for intermediate networking devices to store small size packets and they do not
take much resources either on carrier path or in the internal memory of switches.

o The packet switching is a switching technique in which the message is sent in one go,
but it is divided into smaller pieces, and they are sent individually.
o The message splits into smaller pieces known as packets and packets are given a
unique number to identify their order at the receiving end.
o Every packet contains some information in its headers such as source address,
destination address and sequence number.
o Packets will travel across the network, taking the shortest path as possible.
o All the packets are reassembled at the receiving end in correct order.
o If any packet is missing or corrupted, then the message will be sent to resend the
message.
o If the correct order of the packets is reached, then the acknowledgment message will
be sent.
 Packet switching enhances line efficiency as packets from multiple applications can
be multiplexed over the carrier. The internet uses packet switching technique. Packet
switching enables the user to differentiate data streams based on priorities. Packets are stored
and forwarded according to their priority to provide quality of service.

Virtual Circuit Switching

o Virtual Circuit Switching is also known as connection-oriented switching.
o In the case of Virtual circuit switching, a preplanned route is established before the messages
are sent.
o Call request and call accept packets are used to establish the connection between sender and
receiver.
o In this case, the path is fixed for the duration of a logical connection.
Let's understand the concept of virtual circuit switching through a diagram:

o In the above diagram, A and B are the sender and receiver respectively. 1 and 2 are the nodes.
o Call request and call accept packets are used to establish a connection between the sender and
receiver.
o When a route is established, data will be transferred.
o After transmission of data, an acknowledgment signal is sent by the receiver that the message
has been received.
o If the user wants to terminate the connection, a clear signal is sent for the termination.