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Atm Report

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a high-speed communications technology that transmits data as fixed-length cells, allowing for efficient real-time voice, video, and data transmission. It utilizes a layered model similar to the OSI model, with components such as the ATM layer and ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) to manage connections and data segmentation. ATM networks consist of interconnected switches and interfaces, with specific header formats for communication between endpoints and switches.

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14 views27 pages

Atm Report

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a high-speed communications technology that transmits data as fixed-length cells, allowing for efficient real-time voice, video, and data transmission. It utilizes a layered model similar to the OSI model, with components such as the ATM layer and ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) to manage connections and data segmentation. ATM networks consist of interconnected switches and interfaces, with specific header formats for communication between endpoints and switches.

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Titian Lavador
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Introduction

Asynchronous Transfer Mode or ATM, is a


communications technology primarily used in the
backbone of high speed networks. It supports real-
time voice and video as well as data establishing
connections between the two endpoints. These
connections may establish guarantees a quality of
service (QoS) for that data transmission. However,
unlike telephone switches that dedicate circuits end
to end, unused bandwidth in ATM's logical circuits
can be utilized whenever available. For example,
idle bandwidth in a videoconference circuit can be
used to transfer data.
ATM works by transmitting all traffic as fixed-
length units called cells which are 53-bytes
long. This fixed unit allows very fast switches
to be built, because the processing
associated with variable-length packets is
eliminated (finding the end of the frame).
The small ATM cells also ensure that voice
and video can be intermixed because there
are no long delays encountered because of
large packets.
ATM transfers information in fixed-
size. Each cell consists of 53 octets,
or bytes. The first 5 bytes contain
cell-header information, and the
remaining 48 contain the "payload"
(user information). Figure 1
illustrates the basic format of an
ATM cell.
The ATM standard actually consists
of many different aspects required
to effectively transmit information
and manage the network. The
various aspects of the standard
include establishing connections,
Quality of Service (QoS), User-to-
Network Interface (UNI), Network-to-
Network Interface (NNI),
Management, and Interface
Diagnostics.
Computer users want to transmit messages and in order to do that, they
need multiple layers of communications protocols. For example, users
wanting to browse the web use TC/IP. These packets are carried over
Ethernet and somewhere in the network, these packets may get converted
into ATM cells. The ATM reference model, shown in Figure 2, is composed of
the following OSI layers:

Physical layer --- Analogous to the physical layer of the OSI reference model,
the ATM physical layer manages the medium-dependent transmission.

ATM layer --- Combined with the ATM adaptation layer, the ATM layer is
roughly analogous to the data-link layer of the OSI reference model. The ATM
layer is responsible for establishing connections and passing cells through
the ATM network. To do this, it uses information in the header of each ATM
cell.

ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) --- Combined with the ATM layer, the AAL is
roughly analogous to the data-link layer of the OSI model. The AAL is
responsible for isolating higher-layer protocols from the details of the ATM
processes.
Figure 2. Comparing the OSI reference model with the ATM reference model
functions: Bits are converted into cells; the
transmission and receipt of bits on the physical
medium are controlled; ATM cell boundaries are
tracked; and cells are packaged into the
appropriate type of frame for the physical
medium.

The ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) performs the


function of taking packets from the upper layer
protocols such as Ethernet or TCP/IP and
segmenting them. There are actually several
different ways larger packets may be segmented
into the smaller ATM cells. The selection of the
proper AAL is dependent on the physical links
ATM Networks

An ATM network consists of a set of


ATM switches interconnected by
point-to-point ATM links or
interfaces. ATM switches support
two primary types of interfaces:
user-network interface (UNI) and
network-node interface (NNI). The
UNI connects ATM end-systems
(such as hosts and routers) to an
ATM switch. The NNI connects two
Depending on whether the switch is owned and
located at the customer's premises or publicly
owned and operated by the telephone company,
UNI and NNI can be further subdivided into
public and private UNIs and NNIs. A private UNI
connects an ATM endpoint and a private ATM
switch. Its public counterpart connects an ATM
endpoint or private switch to a public switch. A
private NNI connects two ATM switches within
the same private organization. A public one
connects two ATM switches within the same
public organization.
An additional specification, the Broadband Interexchange Carrier
Interconnect (B-ICI), connects two public switches from different
service providers. Figure 3 illustrates the ATM interface
specifications for private and public networks.

Figure 3. ATM interface specifications differ for private and public


networks
ATM Cell-Header Format

An ATM cell header can be one of two


formats: UNI, or the NNI. The UNI header
is used for communication between ATM
endpoints and ATM switches in private
ATM networks. The NNI header is used for
communication between ATM switches.
Figure 3 depicts the basic ATM cell
format, the ATM UNI cell-header format,
and the ATM NNI cell-header format.
Unlike the UNI, the NNI header does
not include the Generic Flow Control
(GFC) field. Additionally, the NNI
header has a Virtual Path Identifier
(VPI) field that occupies the first 12
bits, allowing for larger trunks
between public ATM switches.
Figure 4. Two forms of ATM cells, UNI and NNI Formats
ATM Cell-Header Fields

In: addition to GFC and VPI header fields, several others are used in ATM cell-header fields.
The following descriptions summarize the ATM cell-header fields illustrated in Figure 4:
Generic Flow Control (GFC) --- Provides local functions, such as identifying multiple stations
that share a single ATM interface. This field is typically not used and is set to its default
value.

Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) --- In conjunction with the VCI, identifies the next destination of
a cell as it passes through a series of ATM switches on the way to its destination.

Virtual Channel Identifier (VCI) --- In conjunction with the VPI, identifies the next
destination of a cell as it passes through a series of ATM switches on the way to its
destination.

Payload Type (PT) --- Indicates in the first bit whether the cell contains user data or control
data. If the cell contains user data, the second bit indicates congestion, and the third bit
indicates whether the cell is the last in a series of cells that represent a single AAL5 frame.

Congestion Loss Priority (CLP) --- Indicates whether the cell should be discarded if it
encounters extreme congestion as it moves through the network. If the CLP bit equals 1,
the cell should be discarded in preference to cells with the CLP bit equal to zero.

Header Error Control (HEC) --- Calculates checksum only on the header itself.

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