CEF (Cisco Express Forwarding) switching is a highly efficient packet-switching method used on Cisco devices that utilizes dedicated hardware processors to handle packet forwarding. This contrasts with process switching, where the main processor (CPU) of the device is responsible for making forwarding decisions for each individual packet. CEF switching can significantly improve the performance of a network device by offloading the work from the main processor and allowing packets to be forwarded at line-rate speed.