When switching and routing are compared:
A) Both are data link layer operations.
B) Networks relying on switching can be more vulnerable to a single point of failure than those relying on routing.
C) Both are internet layer operations.
D) Switching is a connection-less, but routing is connection-oriented in forwarding user data.
E) Both switching and routing presume availability of multiple active delivery paths between two hosts.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Here's why the other options are incorrect:
A) Both are data link layer operations. - This is incorrect because switching typically operates at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model, while routing operates at the network layer (Layer 3).
C) Both are internet layer operations. - This is incorrect for the same reason as A. Switching is not an internet layer operation; it is a data link layer operation.
D) Switching is a connection-less, but routing is connection-oriented in forwarding user data. - This is incorrect because switching can be either connection-oriented or connectionless, depending on the type of switching being used (e.g., circuit switching vs. packet switching). Routing is generally connectionless in that it forwards each packet based on its destination address independently of other packets.
E) Both switching and routing presume availability of multiple active delivery paths between two hosts. - This is not necessarily true. Switching doesn't inherently presume multiple active paths; it simply forwards frames based on MAC addresses within a local network. Routing can involve multiple paths due to its ability to dynamically determine the best path for data to travel across multiple networks, but it doesn't presume their availability; it discovers and utilizes them as needed.
Therefore, the most accurate statement is B, as networks that rely heavily on switching within their local area networks (LANs) can be more vulnerable to a single point of failure, such as a failed switch. In contrast, routing, which is used across larger networks like wide area networks (WANs), typically involves multiple paths and routers that can dynamically reroute traffic if one path fails, making it less susceptible to a single point of failure.

When Switching and Routing Are Compared