Cell Relay Archive

[tinguely@plains.NoDak.edu (Mark Tinguely)]

In article <8690ibj855.fsf@ironbridgenetworks.com>,
James Carlson  <carlson@ironbridgenetworks.com> wrote:

>If you need or want either separate user authentication, IP address
>assignment, or protocol use negotiation, then PPP provides that on an
>ATM VC with very little overhead.

good explaination.

one place that PPP over ATM is being used is in the DSL world. The telephone
network is becoming an ATM cloud, so a DSL connection looks something like:

				 voice				 voice
				   v				   ^
	ISP1  <-- ATM cloud --> telephone CO <-- DSL and voice --> home
*Cable TV     <-||						   v
*digital voice<--|						  data

* with today's "last mile" data rates these are 'pipe dreams'.
it appears now vendors are using a router on the home side to provide
traditional LAN (IP, IPX, etc) protocols, but there is nothing stopping
native ATM services to be offered.

I am not sure if the QOS/bandwidth features, the telco's increasing
use of ATM, or just wishful thinking is the driving force behind using
ATM in these DSL products.

--mark tinguely.