Switchlets and Dynamic Virtual ATM Networks

This paper presents a novel approach to the control and management of ATM networks, by allowing di erent control architectures to be operational within the same network, and on the same switch. The resources available on an ATM switch are divided into switchlets, each of which encapsulates a subset of the physical ATM switch resources. A set of switchlets on di erent ATM switches combine to form a virtual ATM network. Each virtual network created in this way can potentially use di erent control and management mechanisms which are collectively called a control architecture. For example one virtual network might run ATM Forum signalling, another might implement an IP switching control architecture, while yet another can be reserved for an in house secure control architecture. In this manner a new control architecture can be introduced into a network without disrupting existing services and applications, thereby facilitating change management in an elegant way. Switchlets and a control a...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1997
• Where: IM
• Authors: Jacobus E. van der Merwe, Ian M. Leslie
• Keywords: ATM Networks, Control Architecture, IM 1997, IM 2007, Virtual Atm Networks