Asynchronous Transfer Mode – ATM
Acterna ANT-5 Page 99
6. Asynchronous Transfer Mode – ATM
Option BN Number
ATM 4565/95.54
6.1 ATM Overview
ATM is a cell-oriented switching and mutiplexing technology that uses fixed-length
packets to carry different types of traffic. Like packet switching technologies such as
frame relay and TCP/IP, ATM integrates the multiplexing and switching functions but
in contrast to circuit switching it is also well suited for bursty traffic. ATM therefore
allows communication between devices that operate at different speeds.
6.1.1 The ATM Reference Model
In the sections that follow, the user interface has been described with reference to the
ATM model, namely, the Physical layer, the ATM layer and the Adaptation layer. The
following diagram shows a basic layer model for ATM.
Transmission medium
Physical Layer -
adaptation of cells to the tranmission medium
ATM Layer -
multiplexing and switching of cells
AAL Layer -
adaptation of data to cell structure
Higher-layer protocols
Application
6.2 Introduction
The ATM option expands the applications of the ANT-5 to cover use in ATM networks.
The measurement methods and user interface have been designed for applications
involving user-network interfaces (UNI) and network-network interfaces (NNI).
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