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• ATMInternetworking White Paper

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SAN JOSE, Calif., June 19, 1995 -- The ATM Interface Processor(AIP) for the Cisco 7000family of high-end routers is being enhanced withnew software features that boost the effectiveness of ATM deployment inproduction networks, facilitate such emerging applications asmultimedia,and provide the first solution for internetworking between virtual LANs .

Key new AIP functions, available in August as part of the CiscoInternetwork Operating System (Cisco IOS(tm)) for ATM, includeLANEmulation, which allows higher-layer protocols and applications to rununmodified over ATM; point-to-multipointsignaling , which eliminates theneed for multiple point-to-point switched virtual circuits in broadcastapplications such as multimedia; and native support for IP over ATM asdefined in RFC 1577.

Introduced in early1994 as the first commercially availablestandards-based ATM router interface, the dual RISC-based AIP is installedin more than one thousand Cisco 7000 and 7010 routers connecting LAN-basedinternetworks with ATM cell-switching backbones.

Larry Lang, Cisco's director of marketing for ATM products, said, "Whileusers have always been drawn to ATM's high bandwidth, they have beenwaiting for vendors to make ATM more practical in terms of ease ofdeployment, cost-effectiveness, and inter-platform flexibility. The AIP'snew software takes the next major step in this direction, and strengthenswhat is still the only complete end-to-end ATM solution from any vendor,including enterprise and workgroup ATM switches, ATM router interfaces andATM adapter cards for desktop systems."

LAN Emulation Enables Multiprotocol Support, Virtual LANs over ATM

LAN emulation allows higher-layer protocols and associated applications tooperate over ATM without modification, as if they were running on anEthernet or Token Ring LAN segment. With this capability, users who wish tomix ATM devices, routers and LAN switches on their networks can avoid thecostly and disruptive process of installing new network protocol stacks andapplications.

By providing the needed layer 3 routing connection between layer 2 virtualLAN domains, the AIP's LAN emulation technology also makes the Cisco 7000the first router to provide standards-based support for VLANs over ATM.Point-to-Multipoint Signaling for Multimedia

Point-to-multipoint (multicast) signaling permits the creation of ATMswitched virtual connections which support one-to-many ATM connections,sending data to all intended recipients at once rather than duplicatingpoint-to-point connections for each. This capability is critical forreal-time multimedia applications such as desktop videoconferencing,distance learning and collaborative computing. The point-to-multipointfeature conforms to standard ATM Forum UNI signaling protocols.

Native Support for IP Over ATM

Native support for IP over ATM, as defined in RFC 1577 Classical IP and ARPover ATM, is ideal for use in networks mainly running the IP protocol. AnATM network running new, RFC 1577-compliant IP protocol stacks moreefficiently supports IP over ATM because, for example, the overheadrequired to resolve IP to ATM addresses is roughly half that of othernon-native approaches.

More Efficient Management

Two other new features will also be available on the AIP. The ATM InterimLocal Management Interface (ILMI) supports standards- based ATM networkconfiguration and automatic ATM address acquisition and registration. SVCIdle Disconnect maximizes the efficiency of available ATM interface portsby allowing the AIP to tear down SVCs after they have been inactive for auser-defined period.

Cisco Systems,Inc. is the leading global supplier of enterprisenetworks,including routers, LAN and ATM switches, dial-up access servers and networkmanagement software. These products, integrated by the Cisco InternetworkOperating System (Cisco IOS) link geographically dispersed LANs, WANsandIBM networks. Cisco is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and in the U.S.is traded under the NASDAQ symbol CSCO.

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Posted: Jun 19 10:40:09 1995