Virtual Circuit Network

VIRTUAL CIRCUIT NETWORK
A virtual circuit network is a cross between a circuit-switched

network and a datagram network or packet network. It has
some characteristics of both.
In a packet switched network, if there is a sender and a
receiver, the packets or datagrams that are being sent they are
all independent of each other which means they can take
different path or route to reach the destination.
Delays can be different; packets can be out of order like packet
2 reaching before packet 1 and there is no guarantee of service
that your packets will reach.
In a circuit switched network, it is like a telephone network,

Before you tell you make a call set up, and you reserve
resources. It is like reserving a particular path and having
guarantee of bandwidth for your telephone call.
Both have advantages and disadvantages.
VIRTUAL-CIRCUIT IDENTIFIER
The identifier that is actually used for data transfer is called the
virtual-circuit identifier (VCI). A VCI, unlike a global address, is a
small number that has only switch scope. It is used by a frame
between two switches. When a frame arrives at a switch, it has
a VCI; when it leaves, it has a different VCI. The following figure
show how the VCI in a data frame changes from one switch to
another. Note that a VCI does not need to be a large number
since each switch can use its own unique set of VCIs.
THREE PHASES
As in a circuit-switched network, a source and destination need

to go through three phases in a virtual-circuit network: setup,
data transfer, and teardown.
setup phase, the source and destination use their global

addresses to help switches make table entries for the
connection.
In the teardown phase, the source and destination inform the
switches to delete the corresponding entry.
Data transfer occurs between these two phases.
1. DATA TRANSFER PHASE
To transfer a frame from a source to its destination, all

switches need to have a table entry for this virtual circuit. The
table, in its simplest form, has four columns. This means that
the switch holds four pieces of information for each virtual
circuit that is already set up. We show later how the switches
make their table entries, but for the moment we assume that
each switch has a table with entries for all active virtual
circuits.
The following figure shows a frame arriving at port 1 with a VCI

of 14. When the frame arrives, the switch looks in its table to
find port 1 and a VCI of 14. When it is found, the switch knows
to change the VCI to 22 and send out the frame from port 3.
2. Setup Phase
In the setup phase, a switch creates an entry for a virtual circuit.

For example, suppose source A needs to create a virtual circuit
to B. Two steps are required: the setup request and the
acknowledgment.
Setup Request: A setup request frame is sent from the source
to the destination. The following figure shows the process.
a. Source A sends a setup frame to switch 1.
b. Switch 1 receives the setup request frame. It knows that a

frame going from A to B goes out through port 3. The switch, in
the setup phase, acts as a packet switch and it has a routing
table which is different from the switching table. For the
moment, assume that it knows the output port. The switch
creates an entry in its table for this virtual circuit, but it is only
able to fill three of the four columns. The switch assigns the
incoming port (1) and chooses an available incoming VCI (14)
and the outgoing port (3). It does not yet know the outgoing
VCI, which will be found during the acknowledgment step. The
switch then forwards the frame through port 3 to switch 2.
c. Switch 2 receives the setup request frame. The same events

happen here as at switch 1 and three columns of the table are
completed: in this case, incoming port (l), incoming VCI (66),
and outgoing port (2).
d. Switch 3 receives the setup request frame. Again, three

columns are completed: incoming port (2), incoming VCI (22),
and outgoing port (3).
e. Destination B receives the setup frame, and if it is ready to

receive frames from A, it assigns a VCI to the incoming frames
that come from A, in this case 77. This VCI lets the destination
know that the frames come from A, and no other sources.
Acknowledgment:
A special frame, called the acknowledgment frame, completes

the entries in the switching tables. The following figure shows
the process.
a. The destination sends an acknowledgment to switch 3. The
acknowledgment carries the global source and destination
addresses so the switch knows which entry in the table is to be
completed. The frame also carries VCI 77, chosen by the
destination as the incoming VCI for frames from A. Switch 3
uses this VCI to complete the outgoing VCI column for this
entry. Note that 77 is the incoming VCI for destination B, but the
outgoing VCI for switch 3.
b. Switch 3 sends an acknowledgment to switch 2 that contains

its incoming VCI in the table, chosen in the previous step.
Switch 2 uses this as the outgoing VCI in the table.
c. Switch 2 sends an acknowledgment to switch 1 that contains

its incoming VCI in the table, chosen in the previous step.
Switch 1 uses this as the outgoing VCI in the table.
d. Finally switch 1 sends an acknowledgment to source A that

contains its incoming VCI in the table, chosen in the previous
step.
e. The source uses this as the outgoing VCI for the data frames
to be sent to destination B.
3. Teardown Phase:
In this phase, source A, after sending all frames to B, sends a

special frame called a teardown request. Destination B
responds with a teardown confirmation frame. All switches
delete the corresponding entry from their tables.
Efficiency:
• Resource reservation in a virtual-circuit network can be made

during the setup or can be on demand during the data transfer
phase. In the first case, the delay for each packet is the same; in
the second case, each packet may encounter different delays.
• There is one big advantage in a virtual-circuit network even if

resource allocation is on demand. The source can check the
availability of the resources, without actually reserving it.

Virtual Circuit Network

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VIRTUAL CIRCUIT NETWORK

A virtual circuit network is a cross between a circuit-switched

In a circuit switched network, it is like a telephone network,

As in a circuit-switched network, a source and destination need

setup phase, the source and destination use their global

1. DATA TRANSFER PHASE

To transfer a frame from a source to its destination, all

The following figure shows a frame arriving at port 1 with a VCI

In the setup phase, a switch creates an entry for a virtual circuit.

a. Source A sends a setup frame to switch 1.

b. Switch 1 receives the setup request frame. It knows that a

c. Switch 2 receives the setup request frame. The same events

d. Switch 3 receives the setup request frame. Again, three

e. Destination B receives the setup frame, and if it is ready to

A special frame, called the acknowledgment frame, completes

b. Switch 3 sends an acknowledgment to switch 2 that contains

c. Switch 2 sends an acknowledgment to switch 1 that contains

d. Finally switch 1 sends an acknowledgment to source A that

In this phase, source A, after sending all frames to B, sends a

• Resource reservation in a virtual-circuit network can be made

• There is one big advantage in a virtual-circuit network even if

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