Cell Relay Archive

["S.Ramkumar" <ram@wipinfo.soft.net>]

manfredi@arl.bna.boeing.com wrote:

> 
> Actually, the issue is not ATM vs TCP at all. It is instead SSCOP vs TCP.
> Not that I disagree with your emotional outburst, Steinar, but if ATM is
> to be used for reliable data transmission, it requires a
> connection-oriented protocol just as IP does. After all, both ATM and IP
> are best effort media, and it's only misnomer that calls ATM "connection
> oriented." It is not. It is circuit switched, but still best effort.

I am thoroughly confused why you said that the term 
"connection oriented" applied to ATM is a misnomer.  To send a cell,
you need to establish a VCC between the end points.  Doesn't this 
characterize ATM to be a connection-oriented protocol?  

If not, what are the qualities required to call some protocol 
"connection oriented" or not?

Also I thought ATM was packet (cell rather) switched.

Kindly clarify,
-ramkumar