Cabletron Systems 9032578-05 Chapter ATM Configuration Guide, ATM Overview, Virtual Channels

Chapter 5

ATM Configuration

Guide

ATM Overview

This chapter provides an overview of the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) features available for the SmartSwitch Router. ATM is a cell switching technology used to establish multiple connections over a physical link, and configure each of these connections with its own traffic parameters. This provides more control over specific connections within a network.

The ATM line card provides an ATM interface, allowing integration of ATM with Ethernet and other interfaces within a network topology supported by the SmartSwitch Router. This chapter discusses the following tasks:

•Creating a Virtual Channel

•Creating a Service Class Definition

•Applying a Service Class Definition

•Enabling Cell Scrambling

•Selecting the Cell Mapping Format

•Setting the Bit Allocation for VPI

•Displaying ATM Statistics

Virtual Channels

A virtual channel is a point-to-point connection that exists within a physical connection. You can create multiple virtual channels within one physical connection, with each virtual

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