Convergence

Convergence in a packet-switching network is an automatic process of network mapping that occurs after a router is switched on. A router is a device, usually a dedicated computer, that reads each incoming packet, and determines where to send it next. In carrying out this process, the router needs an accurate map of the networks to which it is directly connected. If this map had to be updated manually, organizations would have to devote a considerable amount of time and human resources to the job. Convergence software enables the router to detect changes to the network, such as the addition or removal of workstations, and to adjust its map automatically. The process is called so because it takes a few minutes for the router’s map to “converge” to reality (the current state of the network).