Advantages and disadvantages of Message Switching type
This page covers advantages and disadvantages of Message switching type. It mentions Message switching advantages or benefits and Message switching disadvantages or drawbacks. It provides links on difference between Message switching and Packet switching.
What is Message Switching?
Introduction:
Figure-1 depicts message switching operation.
As shown in the figure, each router waits until it receives the entire message.
Once it receives the complete message it transmits the same over the next link and so on.
All the routers over the router does the same.
It is used for message transmission between two parties not requiring realtime
information sharing.
➨Message switching overhead is lower compare to packet switching.
➨Message switching has higher reliability and lower complexity.
As in message switching, one single datagram is either received or lost.
One single network path is used for the same.
➨As explained above message switching takes more time compare to packet switching as entire message will
be stored at each of the hop points
till it is completely received.
Refer message switching vs packet switching which mentions difference between message switching and packet switching types.
Benefits or advantages of Message switching
Following are the benefits or advantages of Message switching type:
➨As more devices share the same channel simultaneously for message
transfer, it has higher channel efficiency compare to circuit switching.
➨In this type, messages are stored temporarily en-route and hence congestion can be
reduced to greater extent.
➨It is possible to incorporate priorities to the messages as they use
store and forward technique for delivery.
➨It supports message lengths of unlimited size.
➨It does not require physical connection between source and destination devices unlike circuit
switching.
➨Broadcasting of single message can be done to multiple
receivers by appending broadcast address to the message.
This is being used by advertisement agencies for transmission of ads to particular regions
served by cell sites in the cities. This is also used by government agencies to transmit
warnings and other security related messages to the people.
➨Due to its storage mechanism, it is being used by police for criminal cases.
Drawbacks or disadvantages of Message switching
Following are the disadvantages of Message switching type:
➨This switching type is not compatible for interactive applications such as voice and video.
This is due to longer message delivery time.
➨The method is costly as store and forward devices are expensive.
This is due to large storage disks requirements to store long messages for long
duration.
➨It can lead to security issues if hacked by intruders. Hence vital informations such as
banking accounts, official and personal passwords should not be included in the messages.
➨As the system is complex, often people are not aware whether the messages are transferred
successfully or not. This may lead to complications in social relationships.
➨Message switching type does not establish dedicated path between
the devices. As there is no direct link between sender and receiver,
it is not reliable communication.
Also refer advantages and disadvantages of circuit switching>> and packet switching>> types.
Advantages and Disadvantages of other wireless technologies
What is Difference between
circuit switching vs packet switching
packet switching vs message switching
circuit switched call vs packet switched call
Networking related Links
• Basics of OSI and TCP-IP Layers • Circuit Switched Call vs Packet Switched Call • LAN vs WAN vs MAN • What is Hub • What is Switch • What is Bridge • What is Router • What is Gateway • TCP-IP Packet format • ARP Protocol format