Virtual circuit and pure packet (datagram) based switching techniques are studied for future application to the integrated voice/data telecommunications. The coexistence of voice with both interactive and bulk data in an integrated network suggests the desirability of a mixed switching technique to allow the efficient sharing of both the switching and communications resources. Such a mixed packet switching scheme is also evaluated. It uses virtual circuit for regular traffic (voice and bulk data), and uses pure packet (datagram) for bursty traffic (interactive and query/response). It also adapts to changes in voice/ data input traffic mixture.

This paper describes the performance of a store-store-and-forward communications network with an adaptive routing strategy. The network chosen is a simplification of the AUTODIN network (described below) and the strategy is a modification of the routing of ARPANET. The objective is to make a network such as AUTODIN, with its wide variation in message length, effectively responsive for computercomputer and terminal-computer messages as well as record traffic. A second objective is to increase survivability following isolated equipment failures. A simulation study is used to show that improved performance is achieved.