ATM Networks:

An Overview
Raj Jain
Professor of Computer and Information Sciences
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH 43210-1277
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/~jain/CIS677-98/
Raj Jain

The Ohio State University

Overview

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ATM vs Phone Networks and Data Networks

ATM Protocol Layers
Cell Header Format, AALs
Physical Media

Raj Jain

The Ohio State University

ATM
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Asynchronous Transfer Mode

ATM Net = Data Net + Phone Net
Combination of Internet method of
communication (packet switching) and phone
companies method (circuit switching)
ATM

Raj Jain

The Ohio State University

ATM vs Phone Networks

125 s
Current phone networks are synchronous (periodic).
ATM = Asynchronous Transfer Mode
q Phone networks use circuit switching.
ATM networks use Packet Switching
q In phone networks, all rates are multiple of 8 kbps.
With ATM service, you can get any rate.
You can vary your rate with time.
q With current phone networks, all high speed circuits
are manually setup. ATM allows dialing any speed.
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Raj Jain
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ATM vs Data Networks

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Signaling: Internet Protocol (IP) is connectionless.

You cannot reserve bandwidth in advance.
ATM is connection-oriented.
You declare your needs before using the network.
PNNI: Path based on quality of service (QoS)
Switching: In IP, each packet is addressed and
processed individually.
Traffic Management: Loss based in IP.
ATM has 1996 traffic management technology.
Required for high-speed and variable demands.
Cells: Fixed size or small size is not important

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The Ohio State University

Old House vs New House

New needs:
Solution 1: Fix the old house (cheaper initially)
Solution 2: Buy a new house (pays off over a long run)
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The Ohio State University

ATM Interfaces
Private Private Public
Computer
UNI Switch UNI
Carriers
Private
Public
Public
Public
NNI
Private
Switch
Switch
Private
NNI
Computer
Switch
UNI
B-ICI
Digital
Router DXI Service
Unit

Carrier

Public
Switch
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The Ohio State University

ATM Interfaces
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User to Network Interface (UNI):

Public UNI, Private UNI
Network to Node Interface (NNI):
m Private NNI (P-NNI)
m Public NNI =Inter-Switching System Interface (ISSI)
Intra-LATA ISSI (Regional Bell Operating Co)
m Inter-LATA ISSI (Inter-exchange Carriers)
Broadband Inter-Carrier Interface (B-ICI)
Data Exchange Interface (DXI)
Between routers and ATM Digital Service Units (DSU)
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Protocol Layers
End System

End System

ATM
Adaptation
Layer

Switch

ATM
Adaptation
Layer

ATM
Layer

ATM
Layer

ATM
Layer

Physical
Layer

Physical
Layer

Physical
Layer
Raj Jain

The Ohio State University

Protocol Layers
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The ATM Adaptation Layer

m How to break messages to cells
The ATM Layer
m Transmission/Switching/Reception
m Congestion Control/Buffer management
m Cell header generation/removal at
source/destination
m Cell address translation
m Sequential delivery
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Virtual Circuit Switching

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4
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Circuit Switching: bits coming on wire 4 go on wire 2

Virtual Circuit Switching: Cells coming on VCI=4 go
on VCI=2

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Cell Header Format

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GFC = Generic Flow Control

m (Was used in UNI but not in NNI)
VPI/VCI = 0/0 Idle cell; 0/n Signaling
GFC/VPI
VPI

VPI
VCI
VCI

VCI
PTI
CLP
Header Error Check (HEC)
Payload
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Raj Jain

Header Error Check (HEC)

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1 + x + x2 + x8
Protects header only
Optional Correction mode: Correct one bit errors if no
earlier errors
Discard cells with bad HEC
Recalculated on each hop
No Error
Correction
Mode

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No Error
Error
Correct if possible
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Error
Detection
Mode
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Payload Type Field Coding

000 User data cell, no congestion, AAU = 0
q 001 User data cell, no congestion, AAU = 1
q 010 User data cell, congestion, AAU = 0
q 011 User data cell, congestion, AAU = 1
q 100 Segment Operation and management (OAM) cell
q 101 End-to-end OAM cell
q 110 Resource management cell
q 111 Reserved
ATM-user-to-ATM-user (AAU) bit available for userto-user indication
q

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Path vs Channels
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24/28-bit connection identifier

First 8/12 bits: Virtual Path,
Last 16 bits: Virtual Circuit
VP service allows new VC's w/o orders to carriers
VP1
Link

VP2
VP3

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VC1
VC2
VC3
VC1
VC2
VC3
VC1
VC2
VC3

Raj Jain

VP/VC Assignment/Use
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Video Data
33
56 2
Data Voice
37
34 1

3
4

56

Switch 5

65

6
In

76
Out

Port VPI/VCI Port VPI/VCI

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1
1
2
2

3
4
5
6

0/37
0/34
0/33
0/56
16

1/35
0/56
0/65
4/76

Raj Jain

Original Classes of
Traffic
Class A
Time Sync Yes
Bit Rate
Constant
Connection Yes
-Oriented
Examples Circuit
Emulation
AAL
AAL1

Class B
Yes
Variable
Yes

Class C
No
Variable
Yes

Class D
No
Variable
No

Comp.
Video
AAL2

Frame
Relay
AAL3

SMDS
AAL4
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AAL 5
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Designed for data traffic

Less overhead bits than AAL 3/4
Simple and Efficient AAL (SEAL)
No per cell length field, No per cell CRC
User
PAD Control Length CRC-32
Payload
0-64kB 0-47
2
2
4
0

PTI bit indicates last cell

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1
Raj Jain

AAL2
q
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Ideal for low bit rate voice

Variable/constant rate voice
Multiple users per VC
Compression and Silence suppression
Idle channel suppression
Payload 1

Payload 2

Payload 3

Pkt
Pkt
Pkt
Payload 1
Payload 2
Payload 3
Hdr
Hdr
Hdr
Cell
Cell
Header
Header

Pkt
Pkt
Pkt
Payload 1
Payload 2
Payload 3
Hdr
Hdr
Hdr
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Cell-Stream Phy
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Cell
Continuous stream of cells. No framing.
Hunt bit-by-bit for correct header.
Look for correct headers before entering synch state
incorrect headers resynchronize
and are parameters.
Correct HEC
Correct HECs
Hunt
Sync
Incorrect HEC Presync

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Incorrect HEC
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Raj Jain

SONET
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Synchronous optical network

Standard for digital optical transmission
(bit pipe)
Developed originally by Bellcore.
Standardized by ANSI T1X1
Standardized by CCITT
Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)
You can lease a SONET connection from carriers
Carriers
City A

City B

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Raj Jain

Signal Hierarchy
Synchronous Transport Signal Level n = STS-n = n 51.84 Mbps
STM=Synchronous Transport Module, OC=Optical Carrier level
ANSI
Optical CCITT
Data Rate Payload Rate
Designation Signal Designation
(Mbps)
(Mbps)
STS-1
OC-1
51.84
50.112
STS-3
OC-3
STM-1
155.52
150.336
STS-9
OC-9
STM-3
466.56
451.008
STS-12
OC-12 STM-4
622.08
601.344
STS-18
OC-18 STM-6
933.12
902.016
STS-24
OC-24 STM-8
1244.16
1202.688
STS-36
OC-36 STM-12
1866.24
1804.032
STS-48
OC-48 STM-16
2488.32
2405.376
STS-96
OC-96 STM-32
4976.64
4810.176
STS-192
OC-192 STM-64
9953.28
9620.928
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STS-3c Frame Format

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STS-3c is similar to STM-1

125 s = 2430 bytes at 155.54 Mbps
270 Columns
Overhead
Payload
9 Columns 261 Columns
9 Rows

Path Overhead
Note: All sizes are multiples of 3
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SONET/SDH Phy
260 Columns
...
Cell

9 Rows

J1
B3
C2
G1
F2
H4
Z3
Z4
Z5

...

...

9 Columns
Path Overhead
Raj Jain

The Ohio State University

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SONET STS-3c
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Payload rate = 9 260 8/125 = 149.76 Mbps

Cell payload rate = 135.63 Mbps
Cell delineation using HEC.
m Look for 5-byte blocks with HEC separated by 48
bytes
Cells are packed one after another One can send
127 bits matching the scrambling sequence resulting
in all 1s or 0s.
Scramble by dividing by 1 + x43.
Only one in 243 patterns will cause all 1s or 0s.
Raj Jain

The Ohio State University

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Physical Media
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Multimode Fiber: 100 Mbps using 4b/5b,

155 Mbps SONET STS-3c, 155 Mbps 8b/10b
Single-mode Fiber: 155 Mbps STS-3c, 622 Mbps
Plastic Optical Fiber: 155 Mbps
Shielded Twisted Pair (STP): 155 Mbps 8b/10b
Coax: 45 Mbps, DS3, 155 Mbps
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)
m UTP-3 (phone wire) at 25.6, 51.84, 155 Mbps
m UTP-5 (Data grade UTP) at 155 Mbps
DS1, DS3, STS-3c, STM-1, E1, E3, J2, n T1
Raj Jain

The Ohio State University

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Summary

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ATM Overview: History, Why and What

Protocol Layers: AAL, ATM, Physical layers, Cell
format
Interfaces: PNNI, NNI, B-ICI, DXI
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The Ohio State University

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Homework
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Read Sections 11.1-11.5 of Stallings

Submit answers to Exercise 11.4

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The Ohio State University

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