[e2e] Switched Ethernet is Not an End-to-End System; was Protocols breaking the end-to-end argument

[Detlef Bosau]

Let me again state my point of view as written yesterday in

 <4AFDD298.8050101 at web.de>


Richard Bennett wrote:
> Are you claiming the cell network is an edge-managed system? I don't 
> think so.
>

A cell network integrates both kinds of networks, edge managed ones and 
centrally managed ones as well.

The thrill is the coexistence of these.

Particularly, as the separation (and vice versa the convergence) of both 
starts at extremely low layers, i.e. the physical layer when data and 
speech may use different, if compatible, line coding schemes.

For quite some years I suffered from the paradigm that IP would be "the" 
convergence layer and both, data and speech as well, should be conveyed 
packet switched via IP datagrams.

Eventually, this questionable approach is about to be overcome even in 
the CS community.

Particularly, as the "there's no switching like packet switching" 
attitude of some CS guys ad the "there's no switching like line 
switching" attitude of some EE guys caused lots of misconceptions and 
even some severe waste of money spent for nonsense research projects.

Perhaps, we should bring these useless arguments to an end and simply 
accept, that both concepts exist, both concepts are useful. They don't 
compete each other, they complete each other.

We all should remember Hammings insight: “Mathematicians /stand on each 
other's/ shoulders while computer scientists /stand on each other's toes/.”



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