N-GEN Communications Web-based Seminars ©NGCS

Seminar - An Overview of Communications Technologies

Module 2 - Data Communications Basics and Legacy Technologies                                                Slide 40 of 45 _________________                                                                                  __________

                                Next-Generation Technologies - Offering Solution
                                    to the Legacy and Mature Technologies Limitations

                                        Frame relay

                                        ATM

                                        SONET

                                        Internet Technologies (TCP / IP, Web Services)

_________________                                                                                  __________

There have been three prong initiatives to meet the demand of enterprises and residential consumers. The first initiative has been from the telecommunications carriers and the telephone equipment manufacturers. The second initiative has been from the desktop equipment (computer) manufacturers, systems and application software developers. The third initiative has been from the communications equipment (router) manufacturers. All three sectors have been active in developing new technologies to compensate the limitations of the legacy and mature technologies to meet demands of enterprises and consumers in the 21st century.

Frame Relay - A protocol developed computer and communications industry for transmitting large file with intelligence in the customer terminal to maintain the error checking capability. Initially technology capable to transmit data only up to T-1. Now the standards are updated to include voice transmission at T-3 rate.
Applications - LAN - to - LAN networking, Consolidating low speed data and Video transmission

ATM - A fixed cell technology developed by the telecommunications industry for multi-media applications. This technology is capable of transmitting simultaneously, at a very high speed (Giga bps), voice, data and video information. This technology is mainly used in the core networks.
Application - LAN connections, traffic from Frame Relay networks, compressed voice and video traffic and Process Control

SONET - A technology developed by the telecommunications equipment manufacturers for the telecommunications carriers. This technology is designed to carry bulk data (10 G bps0 over a single optical fiber.
Applications - Telecommunications networks and the Internet network and Metropolitan Area Networks

Internet Technologies - A technology designed by the desktop and the communications industry. This technology competes with the ATM and SONET technologies.
Applications - Internet and e-Commerce