Packet and circuit switching: Cost/performance boundaries

Abstract

In this paper we make a comparison of circuit- and packet-switching techniques (in the context of data networks) from two points of view: delay performance and usage cost. In these analyses we differentiate between two traffic patterns: continuous and intermittent messages (where message blocks are interspersed with no-data intervals). The study shows that for the delay performance, message length, traffic pattern and line utilization are the most telling parameters. The dynamic costs for using the network are additionally governed by parameters such as distance, intermessage interval, length of dialogue and kind of switching processor. The results presented here show how these parameters interact and determined the boundary between the areas of operation more attractive for circuit or packet switching.