N-GEN Communications Web-based Seminars ©NGCS

Seminar - An Overview of Communications Technologies

Module 4 - ATM Technology                                                                                                                      Slide 1 of 46 _________________                                                                                  __________

Objectives:

This module provides an introduction to the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switching technology. It is a switching standard for broadband services that employs equipment with universal standards. It is a first worldwide standard embraced by computer, communications and carriers, which has evolved to meet the networking requirements for voice, data, audio and video information. ATM is a cell-based switching method. It handles the multimedia traffic coming into a switch through the same port.  The switch does not care what kind of information data is carried in the cells, the switch simply routes the cells based on their address as they are transported. The cells are fixed in size. The ATM cell format is similar to the High Level Data Link Control (HDLC) packet. ATM protocol is driven by the telephone industry to provide multimedia services over a single platform. The CCITT also selected ATM as a target architecture for basic transport within Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) / Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH). ATM has taken over from Frame Relay as a preferred technology for the Core Network. The Frame Relay is relegated to a core network access technology. ATM technology is seen as a vehicle to provide LAN – to – LAN connections, Wide Area Networking, consolidating low-speed traffic on to core network and multimedia applications. ATM has built in QOS for voice, data, audio and video traffic. Case studies of the application of this technology have been included in the module to reinforce the value of this technology for wide area networking.

The objective of this module is to cover:

1.    What is ATM technology?

2.    Why ATM technology was developed

3.      How does ATM compare to Frame Relay technology?

4.    Who developed ATM technology?

5.    ATM technology standards

6.    ATM network architecture

7.    ATM network components

8.    QOS addressed by ATM technology

9.    Strength and weakness of ATM technology

10.   ATM technology application

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