Communication Switching

Circuit Switching is a type of switching, in which a connection is

established between the source and destination This connection
receives the complete bandwidth of the network until the data is
transferred completely while Packet Switching in computer
networks is a method of transferring data to a network in the form
of packets. To transfer the file fast and efficiently over the network
and minimize the transmission latency, the data is broken into
small pieces of variable length, called Packet.
What is Circuit Switching?
Circuit switching is a communication method where a dedicated
communication path, or circuit, is established between two
devices before data transmission begins. The circuit remains
dedicated to the communication for the duration of the session,
and no other devices can use it while the session is in progress.
Circuit switching is commonly used in voice communication and
some types of data communication.
Advantages of Circuit Switching
 Guaranteed bandwidth: Circuit switching provides a
dedicated path for communication, ensuring that bandwidth is
guaranteed for the duration of the call.
 Low latency: Circuit switching provides low latency because
the path is predetermined, and there is no need to establish a
connection for each packet.
 Predictable performance: Circuit switching provides
predictable performance because the bandwidth is reserved,
and there is no competition for resources.
 Suitable for real-time communication: Circuit switching is
suitable for real-time communication, such as voice and video,
because it provides low latency and predictable performance.
Disadvantages of Circuit Switching
 Inefficient use of bandwidth: Circuit switching is inefficient
because the bandwidth is reserved for the entire duration of the
call, even when no data is being transmitted.
 Limited scalability: Circuit switching is limited in its scalability
because the number of circuits that can be established is finite,
which can limit the number of simultaneous calls that can be
made.
 High cost: Circuit switching is expensive because it requires
dedicated resources, such as hardware and bandwidth, for the
duration of the call.
What is Packet Switching?
Packet switching is a communication method where data is
divided into smaller units called packets and transmitted over the
network. Each packet contains the source and destination
addresses, as well as other information needed for routing. The
packets may take different paths to reach their destination, and
they may be transmitted out of order or delayed due to network
congestion.
Advantages of Packet Switching
 Efficient use of bandwidth: Packet switching is efficient
because bandwidth is shared among multiple users, and
resources are allocated only when data needs to be
transmitted.
 Flexible: Packet switching is flexible and can handle a wide
range of data rates and packet sizes.
 Scalable: Packet switching is highly scalable and can handle
large amounts of traffic on a network.
 Lower cost: Packet switching is less expensive than circuit
switching because resources are shared among multiple users.
Disadvantages of Packet Switching
 Higher latency: Packet switching has higher latency than
circuit switching because packets must be routed through
multiple nodes, which can cause delay.
 Limited QoS: Packet switching provides limited QoS
guarantees, meaning that different types of traffic may be
treated equally.
 Packet loss: Packet switching can result in packet loss due
to congestion on the network or errors in transmission.
 Unsuitable for real-time communication: Packet switching is
not suitable for real-time communication, such as voice and
video, because of the potential for latency and packet loss.
Similarities
 Both methods involve the transmission of data over a network.
 Both methods use a physical layer of the OSI model for
transmission of data.
 Both methods can be used to transmit voice, video, and data.
 Both methods can be used in the same network infrastructure.
 Both methods can be used for both wired and wireless
networks.
Difference between Circuit Switching and
Packet Switching
Circuit Switching Packet Switching

In-circuit switching has there are 3 phases:

i) Connection Establishment. In Packet switching directly
ii) Data Transfer. data transfer takes place.
iii) Connection Released.

In Packet switching, each data

In-circuit switching, each data unit knows unit just knows the final
the entire path address which is provided destination address
by the source. intermediate path is decided by
the routers.

In Packet switching, data is

In-Circuit switching, data is processed at processed at all intermediate
the source system only nodes including the source
system.

The delay between data units

The delay between data units in circuit
in packet switching is not
switching is uniform.
uniform.

Resource reservation is the feature of There is no resource

circuit switching because the path is fixed reservation because bandwidth
for data transmission. is shared among users.

Packet switching is less

Circuit switching is more reliable.
reliable.

Wastage of resources is more in Circuit Less wastage of resources as

Switching compared to Circuit Switching

It is a store and forward

It is not a store and forward technique.
technique.
 Circuit Switching Packet Switching

Transmission of the data is

Transmission of the data is done by the done not only by the source but
source. also by the intermediate
routers.

Congestion can occur during the Congestion can occur during

connection establishment phase because the data transfer phase, a large
there might be a case where a request is number of packets comes in no
being made for a channel but the channel is time.
already occupied.

Circuit switching is not convenient for Packet switching is suitable for

handling bilateral traffic. handling bilateral traffic.

In-Circuit switching, the charge depends on In Packet switching, the charge

time and distance, not on traffic in the is based on the number of
network. bytes and connection time.

Recording of packets is never possible in Recording of packets is

circuit switching. possible in packet switching.

In Packet Switching there is no

In-Circuit Switching there is a physical path
physical path between the
between the source and the destination
source and the destination

Circuit Switching does not support store Packet Switching supports

and forward transmission store and forward transmission

No call setup is required in

Call setup is required in circuit switching.
packet switching.

In-circuit switching each packet follows the In packet switching packets

same route. can follow any route.

Packet switching is
The circuit switching network is
implemented at the datalink
implemented at the physical layer.
layer and network layer
 Circuit Switching Packet Switching

Circuit switching requires simple protocols Packet switching requires

for delivery. complex protocols for delivery.

Conclusion
In conclusion, circuit switching and packet switching are two
different methods used in communication networks to transfer
data between two or more devices. Circuit switching establishes a
dedicated communication path before data transmission begins,
while packet switching divides the data into smaller units called
packets and transmits them over the network. Understanding the
differences between the two methods can help you choose the
right network technology for your specific needs.

Difference Between Connection-

oriented and Connection-less Services
Two basic forms of networking communication are connection-
oriented and connection-less services. In order to provide
dependable communication, connection-oriented services create a
dedicated connection before transferring data. On the other hand,
connection-less services prioritize speed and efficiency over
reliability by transmitting data without establishing a connection.
These types of services are offered by the network layer.
What is a Connection-Oriented Service?
Connection-oriented service is related to the telephone system. It
includes connection establishment and connection termination. In
a connection-oriented service, the Handshake method is used to
establish the connection between sender and receiver. Before
data transmission starts, connection-oriented services create a
dedicated communication channel between the sender and the
recipient. As the connection is kept open until all data is
successfully transferred, this guarantees dependable data
delivery. One example is TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) ,
which ensures error-free and accurate data packet delivery.

What is Connection-Less Service?

Connection-less service is related to the postal system. It does not
include any connection establishment and connection termination.
Connection-less Service does not give a guarantee of reliability. In
this, Packets do not follow the same path to reach their
destination. Connection-less Services deliver individual data
packets without first making a connection. Since each packet is
sent separately, delivery, order, and mistake correction cannot be
guaranteed. As a result, the service is quicker but less
dependable. UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is one example,
which is frequently used for streaming where dependability is not
as important as speed.

Difference Between Connection-oriented and

Connection-less Services
 Connection-oriented Service Connection-less Service

Connection-oriented service is related Connection-less service is related

to the telephone system. to the postal system.

Connection-oriented service is
Connection-less Service is
preferred by long and steady
preferred by bursty communication.
communication.

Connection-oriented Service is Connection-less Service is not

necessary. compulsory.

Connection-less Service is not

Connection-oriented Service is feasible.
feasible.

In connection-oriented Service, In connection-less Service,

Congestion is not possible. Congestion is possible.

Connection-oriented Service gives the Connection-less Service does not

guarantee of reliability. give a guarantee of reliability.

In connection-oriented Service, Packets In connection-less Service, Packets

follow the same route. do not follow the same route.

Connection-oriented services require a Connection-less Service requires a

bandwidth of a high range. bandwidth of low range.

Ex: TCP (Transmission Control

Ex: UDP (User Datagram Protocol)
Protocol)

Connection-oriented requires Connection-less Service does not

authentication. require authentication.

Conclusion
Depending on the particular requirements of the application,
connection-oriented or connection-less services might be chosen.
While connection-less services offer faster and more flexible
communication, they are better suited for real-time applications
where speed is crucial. Connection-oriented services, on the other
hand, offer reliability and ordered delivery, making them excellent
for critical data transfer.