Switching in Computer Network
Switching can be defined as a mechanism by which the exchange of information between computer networks and network segments happens. The connectivity in a switched network is provided with the help of the switches, which are a series of interlinked nodes. The switches are capable of creating temporary connections between multiple devices linked to them, they are connected to the end system while other switches are used for routing. It is a 2-layer device of the OSI model.
Methods of switching:
The methods of switching are as follows:
- Circuit switching
- Packet switching
- Message switching
Advantages of switching:
The advantages of switching are as follows:
- They help in creating a collision domain for each connection in the network.
- It increases the performance of the network by using switches.
- Switches help in increasing the available bandwidth of the network.
- The workload on individual CPUs decreases.
Disadvantages of switching:
The disadvantages of switching are as follows:
- The network becomes expensive as switches are expensive.
- It is difficult to trace connectivity issues.
- There are chances of trouble in broadcast traffic.
- A proper configuration is required to handle multicast packets.
Switching is required for the effective utilization of the bandwidth. It is also the best solution for whenever multiple devices are communicating with each other, as there are higher chances of collision.
Switching in Computer Network