ARPANETs Packet Switching Innovation | Generated by AI
Question: Which switching technology was used by ARPANET to connect different types of computers and transmit data signals?
Answer:
The correct answer is C. 分组交换技术 (Packet Switching technology).
Explanation:
ARPANET, developed in the late 1960s by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), was the world’s first operational packet-switched network and the direct predecessor of the modern Internet.
Key characteristics and reasons why ARPANET used packet switching:
- It breaks messages into small, independent packets, each containing destination address information.
- Packets can travel independently through the network, taking different routes if necessary.
- This approach is highly resilient — if one path fails (e.g., during wartime), packets can be rerouted automatically.
- It allows different types of computers (with different architectures, operating systems, and word lengths) to communicate effectively because the communication protocol handles data in standardized packet format rather than requiring identical hardware.
- It makes efficient use of network bandwidth (resources are shared dynamically) compared to circuit switching.
Comparison with other options:
-
A. 电路交换技术 (Circuit Switching)
Used in traditional telephone networks. A dedicated end-to-end path is established before communication begins and held for the entire duration. Not suitable for connecting heterogeneous computers or bursty data traffic. ARPANET did not use this. -
B. 报文交换技术 (Message Switching)
Entire message is sent as a single unit and stored-and-forwarded at each node. It has high delay (especially for long messages) and requires large storage at intermediate nodes. ARPANET did not use pure message switching. -
C. 分组交换技术 (Packet Switching)
Correct choice. This is the fundamental innovation of ARPANET. -
D. ATM交换技术 (ATM Switching)
Asynchronous Transfer Mode — a later cell-based switching technology developed in the 1980s–1990s for broadband networks. It did not exist when ARPANET was created (1969–1980s).
Conclusion:
ARPANET’s most important technical contribution to modern networking was the successful implementation of packet switching, which is why option C is correct.
Your original choice (A) is a common misunderstanding — many people associate circuit switching with traditional communication systems, but it was not the technology used in ARPANET.
References:
- None required for this well-established historical networking fact.