On some aspects of packet switching technique relevant to meteorological application

Packet switching is a new computer-based communication technique that promises to be the dominant mode in the data communication field. After discussing the limitations of the current facilities, the paper reviews the salient features of this new technique with special emphasis on the characteristics of packets, different services offered and the associated networks. Tariff methods and different performance criteria that help in modelling such a network have been discussed, The emerging standards of ISO for Open Systems Inter-connection Architecture enabling interworking of heterogeneous computers are touched upon. The paper ends with a brief proposal for a packet switched data network for the Meteorological Service in India.