Editing Cut-through switching (section)

{{Short description|Packet switching method}}
{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}
In [[computer network]]ing, '''cut-through switching''', also called '''cut-through forwarding'''<ref name="cisco-cut-through" /> is a method for [[packet switching]] systems, wherein the switch starts forwarding a [[frame (networking)|frame]] (or [[network packet|packet]]) before the whole frame has been received, normally as soon as the destination address and outgoing interface is determined. Compared to [[store and forward]], this technique reduces latency through the switch and relies on the destination devices for error handling. Pure cut-through switching is only possible when the speed of the outgoing interface is at least equal or higher than the incoming interface speed.

[[Adaptive switching]] dynamically selects between cut-through and store and forward behaviors based on current network conditions.

Cut-through switching is closely associated with [[wormhole switching]].<ref>
Stefan Haas.
[http://inspirehep.net/record/887357/files/cer-002474543.pdf "The IEEE 1355 Standard: Developments, Performance and Application in High Energy Physics"].
1998.
p. 59.
</ref><ref>
Patrick Geoffray; Torsten Hoefler.
[http://htor.inf.ethz.ch/publications/img/mx_routing-geoffray.pdf "Adaptive Routing Strategies for Modern High Performance Networks"].
{{ISBN|978-0-7695-3380-3}}.
2008.
p. 2.
</ref>