A new paradigm for enterprise networking

The authors describe a network vision based on a new switching paradigm which combines local-area-network (LAN) routing and bridging with consolidation of data, voice, video, and image, thus making it suitable for deployment in a variety of enterprise networking applications. This advanced architecture, based on asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology, incorporates both frame-switching and cell-switching. Frame switching ensures bandwidth efficiency and cost effectiveness for a broad range of data applications. Cell switching provides the benefit of performance and capacity for high-speed applications. This architecture, combined with traffic management capabilities and frame-to-cell conversion, allows the user to take full advantage of the benefits of both frame and cell simultaneously. This switch architecture also allows the easy addition of ATM capabilities as required. This architecture has been implemented in the Northern Telecom Magellan Passport enterprise network switch