Packet switching
<communications> A communications paradigm in which packets (messages or fragments of messages) are individually
routed between nodes, with no previously established communication path.
Packets are routed to their destination through the most expedient route (as determined by some routing
algorithm).
Not all packets travelling between the same two hosts, even those from a single message, will necessarily follow the same route.
The destination computer reassembles the packets into their appropriate sequence.
Packet switching is used to optimise the use of the
bandwidth available in a network and to minimise the
latency.
X.25 is an international standard packet switching network.
Also called connectionless.
Opposite of
circuit switched or
connection-oriented.
See also
virtual circuit,
wormhole routing.
