Virtual circuit

Virtual circuits are logical paths established between two devices. Depending on how they are set up, virtual circuits include the following types:

• Permanent virtual circuits (PVCs)—Preconfigured by network administrators and maintain until being manually removed.

• Switched virtual circuits (SVCs)—Analogous to dialup connections. They are dynamically set up or cleared on an as-needed basis through protocol negotiation.

PVCs are used far more than SVCs.