Switching is a research area within computer networking that focuses on the process of transferring data packets from one node to another in a network. This involves determining the best path for the packets to take, managing the flow of data, and handling different types of network traffic. Switching can be done at various levels in a network, including at the network layer, data link layer, and physical layer. Researchers in this area work on developing efficient switching algorithms, protocols, and architectures to improve the performance, reliability, and scalability of network switching.