3Com 5000 ATM manual ATM Backbone SwitchModule Architecture

ATM Backbone SwitchModule Architecture 1-5

The significant hardware components of the ATM Backbone

SwitchModule include:

■Management Processor

■Packet Switch Processor

■Primary ATM OC-3 Card

■Redundant ATM OC-3 Card

Management The Management Processor performs processing functions that are not Processor time critical. Its main functions include:

■Network management

■ATM signalling

■ATM LAN emulation client (LEC) functions

■Bridging functions

■Forwarding table maintenance

Packet Switch The Packet Switch Processor performs time-critical processing functions Processor such as packet forwarding.

Primary ATM OC-3The primary ATM OC-3 card provides a SONET PHY ATM interface Card operating at 155 Mbps on OC-3, multimode fiber over an SC-type

connector. The maximum distance between links is 2 kilometers.

Redundant ATM OC-3The redundant ATM OC-3 card is identical to the primary ATM OC-3 Card card. It becomes active in place of the primary ATM OC-3 card if any of

the following characteristics are lost:

■Light

■Frame

■Cell delineation

■ATM signalling

■ILMI (Integrated Local Management interface) channel information