Broadband multimedia applications using ATM networks: high-performance computing, high-capacity storage, and high-speed communication

The authors discuss the classification of a large variety of multimedia communication applications (with the emphasis on broadband and hypermedia applications), the requirements at network levels, multimedia communications concepts with suitable platforms, and the modular standardization of multimedia teleservices and the corresponding technical systems. Appropriate technologies for meeting multimedia requirements comprise public and private networks, servers for information storage and processing, intelligent user and system agents, and multimedia terminals, e.g., workstations. The authors deal with the question of service-specific or service-integrated networks, the architecture, components, and functions of asynchronous transfer model (ATM) switching systems for broadband ISDN and ATM-based signaling, and management for controlling connectivity and interactivity. Network evolution, pilot applications, and coordinated standardization are briefly considered