Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) System

Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) is a packet data transmission and switching system that transfers information by dividing all types of data into small fixed length packets of data (53 byte cells). The ATM system uses high-speed transmission (usually 155 Mbps or above) and is a connection-based system. When an ATM circuit is established, a patch through multiple switches is setup and remains in place until the connection is completed. ATM service was developed to allow one communication medium (high-speed packet data) to provide for voice, data, and video service.

As of the 1990’s, ATM has become a standard for high-speed digital backbone networks. ATM networks are widely used by large telecommunications service providers to interconnect their network parts (e.g., DSLAMs and Routers). ATM aggregators operate networks that consolidate data traffic from multiple feeders (such as DSL lines and ISP links) to transport different types of media (voice, data, and video).

The ATM switch rapidly transfers and routes packets to the pre-designated destinations. To transfer packets to their destination, each ATM switch maintains a database (called a routing table). The routing table instructs the ATM switch to which channel to transfer the incoming packet to and what priority should be given to the packet. The routing table is updated each time a connection is setup and disconnected. This allows the ATM switch to forward packets to the next ATM switch or destination point without spending much processing time.

The ATM switch also may prioritize or discard packets that it receives based on network availability (congestion). The ATM switch determines the prioritization and discard options by the type of channels and packets within the channels that are being switched by the ATM switch.

Figure 1, shows a functional diagram of an ATM packet switching system. This diagram shows that there are three signal sources going through an ATM network to different destinations. The audio signal source (signal 1) is a 64 kbps voice circuit. The data from the voice circuit is divided into short packets and sent to the ATM switch 1. ATM switch 1 looks in its routing table and determines the packet is destined for ATM switch 4 and ATM switch 4 adapts (slows down the transmission speed) and routes it to it destination voice circuit. The routing from ATM switch 1 to ATM switch 4 is accomplished by assigning the ATM packet a virtual circuit identifier (VCI) that ATM switch can understand (the packet routing address). This VCI code remains for the duration of the communication. The second signal source is a 384 kbps Internet session. ATM switch 1 determines the destination of these packets is ATM switch 4 through ATM switch 3. The third signal source is a 1 Mbps digital video signal from a digital video camera. ATM switch 1 determines this signal is destined for ATM switch 4 for a digital television. In this case, the communication path is through ATM switches 1, 2, and 4.


Figure 1: Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Systems