Cell Relay Archive

[manfredi@arl.bna.boeing.com]

In article <01bcae55$a5952740$46f387ce@scarterpc.primanet.com>,
  "SCarter" <scarter@primanet.com> wrote:

> So..... is there an enterprise ATM switch from any vendor out there that
> can interface to the Internet through a set of T1s run into the premise and
> yet provide 10mbps  to 100 mbps TCP/IP services with varying QOS to
> multiple businesses over the aggregate of trunks into the builiding?
> Perhaps a solution is possible that involves locating an ATM switch at the
> Internet provider's POP in addition to the customer premise - running ATM
> cells over the T1 lines rather than frame relay/ PPP?

Bingo, Sam. I like this particular use of ATM, although it is quite
different from the conventional "IP over ATM" proposals we see.

In effect, what you are doing is using native ATM features to provide an
access link between your premises and the ISP. Almost like saying, "I
want to use something like ISDN, only better: more bandwidth, not fixed
bit rate, but yet I want a minimum rate guaranteed." Sounds very ATMish
to me.

If you have only one workstation in your premises, then providing that
one computer with an ATM link to the ISP seems like a nice way to go. If
you have many workstations, though, it seems to me that you would have
these three options, generally speaking:

1. Use a conventional LAN between the workstations in your premises, then
use the ATM link only between the default router on your premises and the
ISP. If each of the businesses in the building connect their routers to
an ATM switch, then presumably you could make better use of the T1 (or
whatever) line between the building and the ISP. For instance, each of
the businesses could be charged according to the QoS they desire.

2. Have all your workstations ATM-connected, and use one of the standard
(rather complicated) IP over ATM solutions (RFC 1577, LANE, MPOA).

3. Let's have a PBX-type of device which is ATM based, say in an office
environment. This ATM PBX connects to each workstation (and telephone).
The data links are essentially fancy PPP links which, within the PBX, are
then switched (and routed) within a collapsed LAN structure. Each PBX
would contain its own collapsed LAN. The voice circuits would be handled
like regular 64 Kb/s telephone circuits. Each desk is assigned an ATM
address, as each telephone is now assigned a telephone number, and
perhaps DHCP could be used so that the workstations would be
auto-configurable in terms of IP address and ATM address.

Bert
manfredi@arl.bna.boeing.com

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