PacketRelay.ppt

Packet Relay Relaying: Switching packets asynchronously Types of packet relay: 1. Cell relay: Fixed-size packets Used in ATM and SMDS 2. Frame relay: Variable-length packets Advantages of Fixed-Size Packets Simple switch-hardware design Hardware store-and-forward is easier Dynamic storage allocation is easier (no memory fragmentation) More deterministic scheduling (for performance guarantees) High degree of parallelism in large switches Synchronized multiprocessors Multiple levels of buffering can be easily clocked Disadvantages of Fixed-Size Packets Segmentation and reassembly (SAR) Overhe