ATM and Gigabit Ethernet

By Raul Bernardino

Introduction:

Nowadays, the network technologies are growing too fast including several new applications developments. Some of the new applications are the videoconferencing, the collaborative of the works, on demand videos, and etc.

In other end, not all countries have minimum requirement of the network infrastructure implement video conferencing.  It is important to know what available in the country.

The fast growing of the applications and the increasing of the using of the bandwidth, including the commercial growth networks, they will be impacting direct and indirect to the cost of upgrading bandwidth and also trigger new ideas on the implementation of the country or nation network infrastructures’. For instance, in European TEIN3 which stands Trans-EuroAsia Information Network is providing internet high capacity and dedicates networks for education and research community for Europe throughout the Asia Pacific. GEANT2 is academics internet in the Europe to serve the researchers with multi domains in 34 European countries. GDLN stands for Global Development Learning Network which initiate by World Bank in mid year of 2000. The GDLN facilitate interactive learning process via high speed videoconferencing.

The ATM:

The ATM is a shorter of the Asynchronous Transfer Mode. The ATM networks have high performances and speeds for on demand video and images transport in local and wide area networks. The ATM is also multiplexing and switching technologies and the platform for distance learning, ecommerce, and e-government. The ATM is very flexible to accommodate any array topologies, any applications and any services. This platform is enabling fixed size of 53 bytes packets of multimedia transmission. It is called cells in the network environment starting from desk to global range of the implementation. This 53 bytes are divided in two parts such as 5 bytes ATM cell header and 48 bytes payload as it shows in the below diagram.

The ATM in 1990s the standard speed is 155 Mbps to 622 Mbps. The goal of the ATM are Integrated, end to end transport of the voice, video and data whereas to meet the quality of the service, packet switching, and next telephony generation.     

The ATM Architecture has adaptation layer, ATM layer, and Physical layer as it shows in the below diagram.

The ATM vision:  end to end transport. However, in the reality the ATM uses IP as backbone router and ATM as link layer in which it shows in the below diagram.

Gigabits Ethernet:

The Ethernet protocols are referring to LAN families. The IEEE 802.3 is based standard for Gigabit Ethernet. There are two versions of the Ethernet gigabits as follows:

• The IEEE 802.3z or 1000Base-x is defining as Ethernet gigabit over the fiber and the cable. There are two types namely 1000base-sx which for short wave up to 500 meters while 1000base-LX the wave coverage up to 5 Km.
• The IEEE 802.3ab or 1000base-T is defining Ethernet gigabit which over UTP wires. The 1000base-t coverage up 75 meters.

The gigabit interface converters allow networks administrator for configuring each ports base on short waves, long waves, long haul, and copper interface. The long haul is a single mode fiber in which the distance from 5 km to 10 km.

The Ethernet architecture as it shows in the below diagram.

  

The Ethernet gigabit is preserve for CSMA/CD. It also supports half and full duplex. The minimum frame size is 416 bytes for the 1000base-x while minimum frame size for the 1000base-T is 520 bytes.

References list:

1.     Kurose, J.F. & Ross, K.W. (2010) Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach. 5^th ed. Boston: Addison Wesley

2.     University of Liverpool/Laureate Online Education (2011) Lecture notes from Computer Networking Module Seminar 5 [Online]. Available from: University of Liverpool/Laureate Online Education VLE (Accessed: 2 September 2011)

3.     Dep. Elettronica Informatica e Sistemistica (DEIS), University of Bologna: QoS and Multiprotocol Label Switching Experiments for the Design of an ATM-based National Network, [Online]. Available from: http://www.cnaf.infn.it/~ferrari/inet98/index.htm   (Accessed: 31 August 2011)

4.     GDLN, [Online]. Available from:  http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/WBI/0,,contentMDK:20379251~menuPK:795512~pagePK:209023~piPK:207535~theSitePK:213799,00.html (Accessed: 31 August 2011)

5.     Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Networks, [Online]. Available from:  http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/5186.htm (Accessed: 31 August 2011)