Acceptable arguments are:
o Switches can handle more throughput
That's difficult to quantify in theory *or* practice.
o Switched networks are easier for humans (or at least, humans without huge brians && many internal registers) to design/debug/maintain.
More levels of indirection does not mean it's easier for humans necessarily. In fact, there are many more nobs to miss, and more places for error to be introduced into your engineering model.
o Switches are requied because without going to a smaller decision space (re: how much work per unit the switch/router has to do to decide where to forward the data unit off to), existing routed technology can't support moving IP packets at the desired speed while having to evaluate the 40-60k routes we'll have soon.
But stuff that's in development sure can.. Dave -- Dave Siegel Sr. Network Engineer, RTD Systems & Networking (520)623-9663 x130 Network Consultant -- Regional/National NSPs dsiegel@rtd.com User Tracking & Acctg -- "Written by an ISP, http://www.rtd.com/~dsiegel/ for an ISP."