The IP over ATM Mailing List Archive by date

[schulter@zk3.dec.com]

On Fri, 29 Mar 96 13:57:05 PST Fred Baker wrote:

> well, I don't know. In the near term, let's say the next eighteen months,
>  what *other* traffic is likely to be on ATM?

Well, IP is just as likely to be on ATM as any other traffic short term.
ATM is certainly carrying non-IP traffic today (video, many protocols via
LANE, voice) in many pilot networks.  IP is not the only current or 
future user of ATM.

> Yes, there are demos running H.310 on ATM, and there's always the rumor
> that the folks that developed it, for voice, will start using it,

And the folks that developed it are basically the ones that will be
deploying it in the wide area and globally.  I would think they would
be deploying it for voice (and video since they want to get into
that market) and data.  I don't think they're going to be deploying it
just for IP, or even mainly for IP.  And if they don't deploy it then
we are really talking about private ATM networks anyway, and in that
arena IP is probably much more important (and there's more freedom
to change the technology).

>  but in
> the domain under discussion, to say that IP won't be an important player,
>  is, um, ...

well, maybe a reality check?  What I'm asking is: is IP significant enough
to move the whole?  In the current domain IP is (and I'm certianly partial
to IP), but in the total ATM market, is it?  This is not to say IP won't
be important, but will it be important enough to be able to exert enough
influence to change ATM and convince those folks who developed it, and who
will hopefully deploy it, to incur extra cost and complexity in the network
which they've already spent so much time thinking about.

I'm not asking if IPs important to us; I'm asking if IP is important (enough)
to the folks that developed ATM.  My hope is really that it is, but I
have some nagging doubt.  When I see people state that "ATM must change"
to better support some IP functionality, I can't help but wonder if such a 
desire is realistic.

 --- pete

------------------
Peter Schulter					schulter@zk3.dec.com
Digital UNIX Networking				voice (603) 881-2920
Digital Equipment Corp				voice (DTN) 381-2920
ZK3-03/U14					FAX   (603) 881-2257
110 Spit Brook Road				FAX   (DTN) 381-2257
Nashua, NH 03062