virtual circuit

In telecommunications and computer networks, a virtual circuit (VC), synonymous to virtual connection and virtual channel, is a connection oriented communication service that is delivered by means of packet mode communication. After a connection or virtual circuit is established between two nodes or application processes, a bit stream or byte stream may be delivered between the nodes. A virtual circuit protocol hides the division into segments, packets or frames from higher level protocols.
See more at Wikipedia.org...

A communications arrangement in which data from a source user may be passed to a destination user over various real circuit configurations during a single period of communication. (188 ) Note: Virtual circuits are generally set up on a per-call basis and are disconnected when the call is terminated; however, a permanent virtual circuit can be established as an option to provide a dedicated link between two facilities. Synonyms logical circuit, logical route.

<networking> A connection-oriented network service which is implemented on top of a network which may be either connection-oriented or connectionless (packet switching).
The term "switched virtual circuit" was coined needlessly to distinguish an ordinary virtual circuit from a permanent virtual circuit. (One of the perpetrators of this confusion appears to be ["Networking Essentials", 1996, Microsoft Press, ISBN 1-55615-806-8], a book aimed at people preparing for the MCSE exam on LANs and WANs).
Not to be confused with switched virtual connection.
(2001-10-26)