Computer Science – 14.2 Circuit switching, packet switching | e-Consult

Circuit switching establishes a dedicated physical path between the sender and receiver for the duration of the communication. This dedicated path ensures a consistent bandwidth and predictable delay. However, resources are reserved even when no data is being transmitted, leading to potential inefficiency. Reliability is generally high as the dedicated path is maintained. A real-world example is traditional telephone networks.

Packet switching, on the other hand, breaks data into small packets, each containing addressing information. These packets are routed independently through the network, potentially taking different paths. This allows for more efficient use of network resources, as bandwidth is only used when packets are being transmitted. However, delay can be variable due to queuing and routing decisions. Reliability is achieved through retransmission mechanisms. The internet is a prime example of a packet-switched network.

Here's a table summarizing the key differences: