Circuit Switching

Circuit Switching

Circuit switching is a WAN switching method in which a dedicated physical circuit is established, maintained, and terminated through a carrier network for each communication session. Circuit switching accommodates two types of transmissions: datagram transmissions and data-stream transmissions. Used extensively in telephone company networks, circuit switching operates much like a normal telephone call. Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is an example of a circuit-switched WAN technology, and is illustrated in Figure 3-3.

Figure 3-3: A circuit-switched WAN undergoes a process similar to that used for a telephone call.