Packet switching carries separately represented units of data over shared communication links. Different packets can share forwarding resources; the network service need not reserve one dedicated circuit for an entire application exchange.
A network packet carries a unit of data together with protocol information used to interpret or deliver it. Internet Protocol carries datagrams; transport and application messages can span several such packets.
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Packet switching is a method of data transmission used in computer networks where data is broken down into smaller, manageable units called packets. Each packet contains a portion of the overall data along with necessary control information, such as the source and destination addresses and sequencing details. This method allows multiple packets from different sources to share the same communication channel efficiently. **Key characteristics of packet switching include:** 1. **Data Segmentation**: Data is divided into packets for transmission.