Packet Switching

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Packet- Small chunk of data

Big data broken down to small chunks

IP is source + destination

Individual packets are sent on to the network to follow the most convenient paths at that time.

Packets end up going different routes.

When the packet reaches a machine and it metadata shows it is not the destination, it sends it to the most suitable direction.

Eventually all packets will arrive at the destination, but as it can arrive out of order, so will be rearranged there.

Packet switching does not tie up large parts of the network(Unlike Circuit switching)

Makes it difficult to intercept a message

Efficient method as fastest route always found.

Circuit switching sends all the data at once, on one route.

DNS

(Domain name system)

All have a database of IP addresses

Constantly updated by other DNS servers

When a web address is requested the DNS looks up the URL(Uniform Resource Locator) and returns the IP address, or searches on other DNS servers.

For every Domain name there is an IP address

Advantages

People do not need to remember IP addresses

IP addresses are easily upgradable without the need for web addresses to change

You can have access to all IP address via DNS server