Asynchronous Transfer Mode Overview

Introduction
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a technology that has the potential of revolutionizing data communications and telecommunications. Based on the emerging standards for Broadband Integrated Services igital !et"or#s (B$ IS !)% ATM offers the economically sound &band"idth on demand& features of pac#et$s"itching technology at the high speeds re'uired for today(s )A! and *A! net"or#s $$ and tomorro"(s. ATM is a cell$relay technology that divides upper$level data units into +,$byte cells for transmission over the physical medium. It operates independently of the type of transmission being generated at the upper layers A! of the type and speed of the physical$layer medium belo" it. This allo"s the ATM technology to transport all #inds of transmissions (e.g% data% voice% video% etc.) in a single integrated data stream over any medium% ranging from e-isting T./0. lines% to S1!0T 12$, at speeds of .++ Mbps% and beyond.

ATM Standards
The follo"ing are some of the basic ATM standards documents available from the International Telecommunications 3nion (IT3). IT3$T I.,4. efines the ATM )ayer functions. IT3$T I.,4, efines the ATM Adaptation )ayer protocols. IT3$T I.4.5 efines the ATM 1peration and Maintenance (1AM) functions.

The ATM Network

The technology allo"s both public (i.e.% 6B12 or carrier) and private (i.e.% )A! or )A!$to$internal s"itch) ATM net"or#s. This capability gives a seamless and transparent (to the user) connection from one end user to another end user% "hether in the same building or across t"o continents. The basic net"or# structure is as sho"n on the follo"ing page.
.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. .-----------. | .--------. 2 .--------. | |End User 1 |-----|-| ATM |-------| ATM | | `-----------' 1 | | Switch | | Switch |---|-------+ | `--------' `--------' | | | ATM Network 1 | | `vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv' | 3 | | .^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. | .-------------. | .--------. 2 .--------. | | | riv!te ATM |---|-| ATM |-------| ATM | | | | Switch | 1 | | Switch | | Switch |--|--------+ `------+------' | `--------' `--------' | 1 | | ATM Network 2 | .-----+------. `vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv' | End User 2 | `------------'

Three types of interfaces e-ist in this diagram7 .. 3ser$to$!et"or# Interface (3!I) 8. !et"or#$to$!et"or# Interface (!!I) ,. Inter$2arrier Interface (I2I) The 3!I e-ists bet"een a single end user and a public ATM net"or#% bet"een a single end user and a private ATM s"itch% or bet"een a private ATM s"itch and the public ATM net"or# of an 6B12. The !!I e-ists bet"een s"itches in a single public ATM net"or#. !!Is may also e-ist bet"een t"o private ATM s"itches. The I2I is located bet"een t"o public ATM net"or#s (an 6B12 and an intere-change carrier). All of these interfaces are very similar. The ma9or differences bet"een these types of interfaces are administrative and signalling related. The only type of

signalling e-changed across the 3!I is that re'uired to set up a :I6T3A) 2;A!!0) for the transmission. 2ommunication across the !!I and the I2I "ill re'uire signalling for virtual$ path and virtual$channel establishment together "ith various e-change mechanisms for the e-change of information such as routing tables% etc. The net"or# functions as follo"s7 0nd 3ser . in 2hicago "ishes to transfer a data file to 0nd 3ser 8 in )os Angeles. A virtual channel is created and a virtual path is established from s"itch to s"itch "ithin the public ATM net"or# in 2hicago (ATM !et"or# .). The 2hicago 6B12% in turn% establishes contact "ith the public ATM net"or# in )os Angeles (ATM !et"or# 8). ATM !et"or# 8 also establishes a virtual path from s"itch to s"itch "ithin the net"or# and "ith the <rivate ATM S"itch at the destination. The private ATM net"or# completes the virtual path by establishing a virtual channel "ith 0nd 3ser 8. At each interface in this net"or#% a uni'ue virtual path identifier (:<I) and virtual channel identifier (:2I) are established for this transmission. These identifiers are of local significance 1!)=7 the identifier is significant only for a specific s"itch and the t"o nodes ad9acent to it in the virtual path. 0ach node "ithin the virtual path (including both the end users and the s"itches) maintain a pool of inactive identifiers to be used as needed. 0nd 3ser . encapsulates the file in +,$byte cells% each "ith its uni'ue :<I/:2I &destination address& in the header. These cells are streamed and sent across the 3!I to the ATM net"or# s"itch. This s"itch reads the ATM header% consults the routing table created during the virtual path setup% changes the :<I/:2I as necessary% and sends each cell in the stream out of the appropriate port and across the !!I to the ne-t s"itch in the virtual path. The last s"itch "ithin the virtual path for ATM !et"or# . repeats this process and sends the cell out through the I2I to ATM !et"or# 8. ATM !et"or# 8 continues the process in a similar manner until the cell is carried through the 3!I to the <rivate ATM S"itch "hich% in turn% sends the cell to 0nd 3ser 8. 0nd 3ser 8 then reconstructs the file from the se'uential cells% stripping the +$byte header from each cell.

0nd 3ser . or 0nd 3ser 8 terminates the call% i.e.% &hangs up%& and the virtual path is dismantled. The :2I and :<I values are returned to the pool of available values for each s"itch. !otice that only the 0nd 3sers at either end of the transmission deal "ith the >?$byte information load "ithin the cell. At each stage of the transmission% the s"itch is only concerned "ith accepting the cell from one port% changing the :<I/:2I according to its tables% and routing the cell out the appropriate s"itch port.

ATM Layered Architecture

At the 0nd 3ser sites% ATM operates "ith a layered structure that is similar to the 1SI @$layered model. ;o"ever% ATM only addresses the functionality of the t"o lo"est layers of the 1SI model7 the physical layer ()ayer .) and the data lin# layer ()ayer 8). All other layers are irrelevant in ATM% as these layers are only part of the encapsulated information portion of the cell "hich is not used by the ATM net"or#. In ATM% the functionality of the t"o lo"er 1SI layers are handled by three layers (sho"n here belo" the double line)7
.--------------------------------------------------------------" | A##$ic!tion %!&er | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | User %!&ers | +''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''+ | ATM Ad!#t!tion %!&er ( )onver*ence S+,$!&er | | -----------------------------------| | Se*-ent!tion . /e!sse-,$& S+,$!&er | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | ATM %!&er | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | h&sic!$ %!&er ( Tr!ns-ission )onver*ence S+,$!&er | | ----------------------------------------| | h&sic!$ Medi+- 0e#endent S+,$!&er | +--------------------------------------------------------------+

The <hysical )ayer defines the medium for transmission% any medium$ dependent parameters (e.g.% rate% 'uality of service re'uired)% and framing used to find the data contained "ithin the medium. The ATM )ayer provides the basic +,$byte cell format% by defining the +$byte ATM header for each >?$byte payload segment handed do"n by the AA).

The ATM Adaptation )ayer (AA)) adapts the higher$level data into formats compatible "ith the ATM )ayer re'uirements% i.e.% this layer segments the data and adds appropriate error control information as necessary. It is dependent on the type of services (voice% data% etc.) being transported by the higher layer. Several AA) protocols have been defined for specific types of data. These are loosely associated "ith various classes of data. ;o"ever% no AA) is restricted to a specific data class or typeA all types of data could conceivable be handled by any of the AA)s. AA) . 2onstant bit rate% connection$oriented% synchronous traffic (e.g.% uncompressed voice) AA) 8 efinition never completed undefined% but envisioned to be for variable bit rate% connection$oriented% synchronous traffic (e.g.% compressed video) AA) ,/> :ariable bit rate% connection$ oriented% asynchronous traffic (e.g.% B.8+ data) or connectionless pac#et data (e.g.% SM S traffic) "ith an additional >$byte header in the information payload of the cell AA) + Similar to AA) ,/> "ith a simplified information header scheme that re'uires only one header per data unit and uses the <TI bit (see belo") to indicate the last cell in a transmission 0-amples of services that use AA) + are 2lassic I< over ATM% and )A! 0mulation ()A!0). AA) + is the most "idely used ATM Adaptation )ayer <rotocol. See the ATM Adaptation )ayer <rotocols 1vervie" for more details. *hen the 0nd 3ser sends traffic over the ATM net"or#% the higher$level data unit is passed do"n to the 2onvergence Sublayer of the AA) )ayer% "hich prepares the data for the ATM )ayer according to the designated AA) protocol ("hen appropriate). The data is then passed do"n to the Segmentation and 6eassembly Sublayer of the AA) )ayer% "hich divides the prepared data unit into appropriately sized segments. These segments are then passed do"n to the ATM )ayer% "hich defines an appropriate cell header for each segment and encapsulates the header and payload segment into a +,$byte ATM cell.

The cells are then passed do"n to the <hysical )ayer% "hich streams the cells at an appropriate pace for the transmission medium being used% adding empty cells as needed.

The ATM Cell

0ach individual ATM cell consists of a +$byte cell header and >? bytes of information encapsulated "ithin its payload. The ATM net"or# uses the header to support the virtual path and the virtual channel routing% and to perform a 'uic# error chec# for corrupted cells. The +$byte header is structured as sho"n belo"7
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | +------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ | 6eneric 7$ow )ontro$8 | 9irt+!$ !th :denti;ier | +---------------------------+---------------------------+ | 9irt+!$ !th :denti;ier | 9irt+!$ )h!nne$ :denti;ier| +---------------------------+---------------------------+ | 9irt+!$ )h!nne$ :denti;ier | +---------------------------+--------------------+------+ |9irt+!$ )h!nne$ :denti;ier | !&$o!d T&#e :0 | )% | +---------------------------+--------------------+------+ | <e!der Error )ontro$ | +-------------------------------------------------------+ | :N7=/MAT:=N A>%=A0 | 8 7or the UN: he!der on$&. The NN: he!der cont!ins !n !ddition!$ 5 ,&tes o; 9 : in;or-!tion here inste!d. ,its

Generic Flow Control (GFC The CD2 field of the header is only defined across the 3!I. It is intended to control the traffic flo" across the 3!I and to alleviate short$term overload conditions. It is currently undefined and these > bits must be set to 5(s. !irtual "ath Identifier (!"I The :<I% an ?$bit field for the 3!I and a .8$bit field for the !!I% is used to identify virtual paths. In an idle cell% the :<I is set to all 5(s. (Together "ith the :irtual 2hannel Identifier% the :<I provides a uni'ue local identification for the transmission.)

!irtual Channel Identifier (!CI This .4$bit field is used to identify a virtual channel. Dor idle cells% the :2I is set to all 5(s. (Together "ith the :irtual <ath Identifier% the :2I provides a uni'ue local identification for the transmission.) "ayload Ty#e Identifier ("TI The three bits of the <TI are used for different purposes. Bit > is set to . to identify operation% administration% or maintenance cells (i.e.% anything other than data cells). Bit , is set to . to indicate that congestion "as e-perienced by a data cell in transmission and is only valid "hen bit > is set to 5. Bit 8 is used by AA) + to identify the data as Type 5 (beginning of message% continuation of messageA bit E 5) or Type . (end of message% single$cell messageA bit E .) "hen bit > is set to 5. It may also be used for management functions "hen bit > is set to .. This bit is currently carried transparently through the net"or# and has no meaning to the end user "hen AA) + is !1T in use. Cell Loss "riority (CL" The .$bit 2)< field is used for e-plicit indication of the priority of the cell. It may be set by the AA) )ayer to indicate cells to discard in cases of congestion% or by the net"or# as part of the traffic management on commercial subscriber net"or#s. $eader %rror Control ($%C This is an ?$bit cyclical redundancy chec# computed for all fields of the first > bytes of the ATM cell header 1!)=. It is capable of detecting all single$bit errors and some multiple$bit errors. The ;02 is compared by each s"itch as the ATM cell is received and all cells "ith ;02 discrepancies (errors) are discarded. 2ells "ith single$bit errors may be sub9ect to error correction (if supported or discarded. *hen a cell is passed through the s"itch and the :<I/:2I values are altered% the ;02 is recalculated for the cell prior to being passed out the port.

O#erations and Maintenance Cells (OAM

The 1perations and Maintenance (1AM) cells are used to provide various maintenance functions "ithin the ATM net"or#% including connectivity verification and alarm surveillance. These cells consist of a single segment "ith an ATM header (as described above). The follo"ing format for the >?$byte payload7
+----------+----------+-----------------------------+--------+ | =AM )e$$ | 7+nction | 7+nction-S#eci;ic 7ie$ds | )/)-1? | | T&#e | T&#e | @54 A&tesB | | +----------+----------+-----------------------------+--------+

1AM 2ell Type This is a >$bit indicator of the type of 1AM cell (e.g.% 555. to indicate Dault Management). Dunction Type This >$bit indicator gives the purpose of this particular 1AM cell (i.e.% Alarm Indication Signal% Dar 0nd 6eceive Dailure% )oopbac#). Dunction$Specific Dields The >+$bytes of this field are used specify the functions and information for this particular cell and to denote destination and failure information. 262$.5 This 8$byte field consists of a .5$bit 2yclical 6edundancy 2hec# for the previous >4 bytes and 4 bits of <A . The 262$.5 generating polynomial is7 -.5 F -G F -+ F -> F - F ..