Packet broker
The packet switch is a switching element, for example in the WAN , that is responsible for packet switching . It is the connection point between the WAN and a connected LAN .
The packet switch is a special computer that can receive, save, evaluate and forward data packets very quickly. In order to achieve the highest possible data transmission rate, the routing algorithms required for sending the data packets are usually implemented in the hardware .
So that a packet switch can decide which interface to use to send a packet, all connected end systems must have an address in the same format. The packet switch has no information about the entire route to the destination address, it only knows the next partial route ( partial route switching / next- hop forwarding). In order to be able to determine the next destination for a packet, the packet switch has a routing table .
As a rule, much higher speeds are used for the interfaces to other packet switches than for the interfaces to the computers on the LAN .
In the Internet, the task of the packet broker is taken over by the router .
The first packet switchers were used in the ARPANET in 1969 . At that time there were four Honeywell DDP-516 minicomputers that could transfer data at 50 Kbit / s.