ASYNCHRONOUS TRANSFER

MODE
( ATM )

ATM
Is

a relatively new data communications

technology that uses a high-speed form of
packet switching network for the transmission
media.
ATM was developed in 1988 by the ITU-T as
part of BISDN.
ATM is intended to be a carrier service that
provides
an
integrated,
high-speed
communications traffic, including voice, data,
image,
video,
high-quality
music,
and
multimedia.
Can be used in both LAN and WAN network
environment

ATM Standard Defines Three

Layers:
Application adaptation layer (AAL)
accepts transmissions from upper layer
services and maps them into ATM cells.
2.
ATM layer provides routing, traffic
management, switching and multiplexing
services. It has a 5-byte header to be
added to each 48 byte segment.
3. Physical layer defines the transmission
medium, bit transmission, encoding, and
electrical to optical specifications.
1.

TERMS
CELL is the data packet is called and is

composed of 53 bytes ( 5 bytes for header

and 48 bytes for payload)
Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) specifies the
path a cell should take.
Virtual Channel Identifier (VCI)
specifies the channel a cell should take.
User network Interface (UNI) is the
interface between the user and the wide
are ATM network.
Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) is
the interface between two wide area ATM

ATM CHARACTERISTICS
ATM uses packet switching with fixed length

packet of 53 bytes CELLs. Each cell has a 5byte header and 48-byte payload

ATM uses Virtual Circuits

ATM can run over any physical layer. Often runs

over fiber optics using the SONET standard at

speeds of 155.52 Mbps, 622 Mbps and higher

ATM STRUCTURE

ADVANTAGES
Without routing, and fixed size cell networks

can much more easily managed bandwidth.

Atm is designed to be easily implemented by
hardware and switch speeds are possible.

DISADVANTAGES
High cost of ATM relative to Ethernet is one

factor that has limited its adaptation to

backbone and other high performance
specialized networks
It is less adaptable to sudden surges in
network traffic since its created in a fixed
channel or route.