Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

A high-speed, broadband transmission data communication technology based on packet switching, which is used by telecoms, long distance carriers, and campus-wide backbone networks to carry integrated data, voice, and video information. Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) can be used as the underlying technology for Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), and other high-speed networks. Plus, ATM can run on any media including coax, twisted-pair, or fiber-optic. ATM is a connection-oriented protocol that can work with either permanent virtual circuits (PVCs) or switched virtual circuits (SVCs), depending on your wide area network (WAN) traffic needs.

ATM networks use bandwidth at maximum efficiency, while maintaining guaranteed quality of service (QoS) for users and applications that require it. The two main benefits of ATM are its high transmission speeds and its flexible bandwidth-on-demand capability.

How It Works
The asynchronous in ATM means ATM devices do not send and receive information at fixed speeds or using a timer, but instead negotiate transmission speeds based on hardware and information flow reliability. The transfer mode in ATM refers to the fixed-size cell structure used for packaging information. This cell-based transmission is in contrast to typical local area network (LAN) variable-length packet mechanisms, which means that ATM connections are predictable and can be managed so that no single data type or connection can monopolize the transmission path.

ATM technology originated in broadband ISDN (BISDN) technology and works primarily at layer 2 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model. ATM connects devices over a WAN using virtual channels (VCs) and virtual paths (VPs). Virtual channels consist of one or more physical ATM links connected in a series for transmitting data between remote stations. A VC exists only while data is being transmitted on it, and all cells in a given ATM transmission follow the same VC to ensure reliable data transmission. A virtual path is a collection of VCs having the same source and destination points that can be used to pool traffic being transmitted to a given destination.

ATM is a connection-oriented technology that requires the establishment of a specific network path between two points before data can be transported between them. Typically a subscriber would lease a T1 or T3 line to connect their customer premises equipment (CPE) to the telecommunication carriers ATM network, but frame relay or SONET can also be used to connect a site to an ATM network. The kind of CPE needed varies with the access method employedfor example, Channel Service Unit (CSU) for T1 line, frame relay access device (FRAD) or router for frame relay, and so on. Large corporate networks using an ATM backbone might use a switch-to-switch connection to the carriers network instead of CPE.

ATM uses fixed-size packets called cells. Each 53-byte ATM cell contains 48 bytes of data payload and 5 bytes of control and routing information in the header. The header provides addressing information for switching the packet to its destination. The payload section carries the actual information, which can be data, voice, or video. The payload is properly called the user information field. The reason for choosing 48 bytes as the payload size is to compromise between the optimal cell sizes for carrying voice information (32 bytes) and data information (64 bytes).

The fixed size of an ATM cell makes ATM traffic simple and predictable, and makes it possible for ATM to operate at high speeds. Typical ATM speeds vary with transmission media and can include 25 Mbps over unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) category 5 cabling 155 Mbps over either UTP or fiber-optic cabling 622 Mbps and 4.8 Gbps over fiber-optic cabling only ATM also includes a mechanism for allocating bandwidth dynamically; that is, bandwidth is allocated only in required amounts and the required direction. As a result, when an ATM link is idle, it utilizes no bandwidth, which can result in considerable cost savings depending on the needs of your network.

Characteristics of ATM

Uses small, fixed-sized cells Connection-oriented Supports multiple service types Applicable to LAN and WAN

ATM Transmission Media

ATM SDH/SONET Rates Chart

CCITT (Consultative Committee for International

Telephony and Telegraph) ITU (International Telecommunications Union)

ATM Physical Interface Rates

ATM Building Blocks

ATM signaling UNI and NNI Virtual connections VCC, VP, and VC

ATM Signaling

UNI = User-to-Network Interface NNI = Network-to-Network Interface

VP and VC Switching

Virtual Channels and Virtual Paths

This hop-by-hop forwarding is known as cell relay

Creating Cells from Packets

ATM Cell Header

ATM Connection Types

PVC SVC

Connection Types

Connectionless: Packet Routing Path 1 = S1, S2, S6, S8 Path 2 = S1, S4, S7, S8 Data can take different path and can arrive out of order

Connection Oriented: Cell Switching VC = S1, S4, S7, S8 Data takes the same path and arrives in sequence

Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC)

VPI/VCI tables in network equipment updated by administrator

Switched Virtual Circuit (SVC)

Dynamically set up connections via signaling

Switched Virtual Circuit (SVC)

Transfer data over newly established link

Switched Virtual Circuit (SVC)

Dynamically tear down connections via signaling

ATM Service Categories

Service Categories Constant Bit Rate (CBR) Variable Bit Rate (VBR) Unspecified Bit Rate (UBR) Available Bit Rate (ABR)

ATM Service Criteria

ATM Service Criteria Traffic Descriptors

Peak Cell RatePCR Maximum data rate a connection can handle without losing data Sustainable Cell RateSCR Average ATM cell throughput the application is permitted Maximum Burst SizeMBS Size of the maximum burst of contiguous cells that can be transmitted Minimum Cell RateMCR Rate of an applications ability to handle latency

ATM Service Criteria QoSDelay

Maximum Cell Transfer DelayMCTD How long the network can take to transmit a cell from one endpoint to another Cell Delay Variation ToleranceCDVT Line distortion caused by change in interarrival times between cells jitter

ATM Service Criteria QoSCell Loss

Cell Loss RatioCLR Acceptable percentage of cells that the network can discard due to congestion

ATM Service Categories

Constant Bit Rate (CBR)

ATM Service Categories

Variable Bit Rate (VBR-RT/VBR-NRT)

ATM Service Categories

Unspecified Bit Rate (UBR)

ATM Service Categories

Available Bit Rate (ABR)

ATM Cell Routing

ATM Cell Routing

ATM Cell Routing

ATM Cell Routing

ATM Cell Routing

ATM Cell Routing

ATM Cell Routing