Packet Switching

Around 1970, research began on a new form of architecture for long distance communications: Packet Switching.
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Introduction
Packet Switching refers to protocols in which messages are divided into packets before they are sent. Each packet is then transmitted individually and can even follow different routes to its destination. Once all the packets forming a message arrive at the destination, they are recompiled into the original message.
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Packet Switching Application

Most modern Wide Area Network (WAN) protocols, including TCP/IP, X.25, and Frame Relay, are based on packet-switching technologies. Circuit-switching is ideal when data must be transmitted quickly and must arrive in the same order in which it's sent. This is the case with most real-time data, such as live audio and video. Packet switching is more efficient and robust for data that can withstand some delays in transmission, such as e-mail messages and Web pages.
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Features of Circuit Switching

Resources are allocated for the call throughout the network. Calls may be blocked if the resources are not available. Circuit switching is connection oriented.

Circuit Switching for Data

When Circuit Switching networks started to be used for data communications it became clear that: In circuit switching resources dedicated to a particular call whereas data traffic is bursty so most of the time allocated resources would be unutilized. Data rate is fixed in circuit switching so Both ends must operate at the same rate -

Packet Switching
Packet Switching started in the 1970s. ARPANET that became Internet The basic technology of packet switching is fundamentally the same today as it was in the early 1970s networks Packet switching remains one of the few technologies for effective long-distance data communications.
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Packet Switching Networks are Switched Networks

Packet Switching Networks are Switched Networks

Packet Switching Operation

Data transmitted in small packets
Typically 1000 octets Longer messages split into series of packets Each packet contains a portion of user data plus some control info

Control info
Routing (addressing) info

Packets are received, stored briefly (buffered) and past on to the next node
Store and forward- Packets are received, stored briefly (buffered) and past on to the next node
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Packet Switching Operation

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Use of Packets

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Advantages
Line efficiency Single node to node link can be shared by many packets over time Packets queued and transmitted as fast as possible Data rate conversion Each station connects to the local node at its own speed Nodes buffer data if required to equalize rates Packets are accepted even when network is busy Delivery may slow down Priorities can be used
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Switching Technique - Virtual Circuits and Datagrams

Station breaks long message into packets Packets sent one at a time to the network Packets handled in two ways
Datagram Virtual circuit

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Datagram Packet Switching

In datagram approach each packet is treated independently with no reference to packets that have gone before. No connection is set up. Packets can take any practical route Packets may arrive out of order Packets may go missing Up to receiver to re-order packets and recover from missing packets More processing time per packet per node Robust in the face of link or node failures.
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Packet Switching Datagram Approach

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Virtual Circuit Packet Switching

In the Virtual Circuit approach a pre-planned route is established before any packets are sent. There is a call set up before the exchange of data (handshake). All packets follow the same route and therefore arrive in sequence. Each packet contains a virtual circuit identifier instead of destination address More set up time No routing decisions required for each packet - Less routing or processing time Susceptible to data loss in the face of link or node failure Clear request to drop circuit Not a dedicated path 16

Packet Switching Virtual Circuit Approach

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One Station Can Have Many Virtual Circuit Connections

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Packet Size

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Circuit vs. Packet Switching

Performance
Propagation delay Transmission time Node delay

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Comparison with Circuit Switching - Event Timing

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