OVERVIEW

 Similar in concept to frame relay

 Take adv of reliability and fidelity of modern

digital facilties to provide faster packet

switching.
 More streamlined than the frame relay
 Packet oriented transfer mode
 Allows multiple logical connections to be mux

over single phy interface

 No link by link flow and error control
 The protocol is divided into three layers:-
◦ ATM adaptation layer (AAL)
◦ ATM layer
◦ Physical layer
 Interfaces the higher layer protocols to the ATM Layer.
 It relays ATM cells both from the upper layers to the ATM
Layer and vice versa.
 When relaying information received from the higher layers
to the ATM Layer, the AAL segments the data into ATM
cells.
 When relaying information received from the ATM Layer to
the higher layers, the AAL must take the cells and
reassemble the payloads into a format the higher layers
can understand. This is called segmentation and
reassembly (SAR).
 The AAL contains the Convergence Sublayer (CS) and the
Segmentation and Reassembly (SAR) sublayer.
 The Convergence Sublayer prepares the higher layer data
for conversion to cells.
 Provides an interface between the AAL and the physical layer.
 Responsible for relaying cells from the AAL to the physical layer
for transmission and from the physical layer to the AAL for use
at the end systems.
 When it is inside an end system, the ATM layer receives a stream
of cells from the physical layer and transmits either cells with
new data or empty cells if there is no data to send.
 When it is inside a switch, the ATM layer determines where the
incoming cells should be forwarded to, resets the corresponding
connection identifiers and forwards the cells to the next link.
 In addition, it buffers incoming and outgoing cells, and handles
various traffic management functions such as cell loss priority
marking, congestion indication, and generic flow control access.
 The ATM physical layer is divided into two parts:
◦ the physical medium sublayer
◦ transmission convergence sublayer.
 The physical medium sublayer is responsible for sending and receiving a continuous flow
of bits with associated timing information to synchronize transmission and reception.
 ATM can use any physical medium capable of carrying ATM cells. Some existing
standards that can carry ATM cells are SONET (Synchronous Optical Network)/SDH,
DS-3/E3, 100-Mbps local fiber (Fiber Distributed Data Interface [FDDI] physical layer),
and 155-Mbps local fiber (Fiber Channel physical layer).
 The transmission convergence sublayer is responsible for the following:
◦ Cell delineation—Maintains ATM cell boundaries.
◦ Header error control sequence generation and verification—Generates and checks the header error control
code to ensure valid data.
◦ Cell rate decoupling—Inserts or suppresses idle (unassigned) ATM cells to adapt the rate of valid ATM cells to
the payload capacity of the transmission system.
◦ Transmission frame adaptation—Packages ATM cells into frames acceptable to the particular
physical-layer implementation.
◦
 ATM : Connection-Oriented
 An end-to-end path called a virtual channel must
be set up in advance, using an ATM signaling
(control) protocol, before any data cells can be sent
 All cells of a virtual channel travel on the same
path
 Cells arrive in the order that they were sent
 Switches must maintain state about the virtual
channels passing through them
 ATM Logical Connections
 Logical connections in ATM are referred to as Virtual
Channel Connections (VCCs).
 VCCs are used for:
– - user-to-user exchange of full duplex, fixed-size cells carrying
user data.
– - user-to-network exchange of control signaling information.
– - network-to-network exchange of management and routing
information.
 A Virtual Path Connection (VPC) is a bundle of VCCs that
have the same endpoints.
 All the cells flowing over all VCCs in a single VPC are
switched together.
 VPC mechanism helps in controlling the control cost by
grouping connections sharing common paths into a single
unit
ATM Logical Connections
 Hence NW mgt can then be applied to a small
number of group of connections instead of large
no of indl connections.
 To set up a VCC, there must first be a VPC to the
required destination node with sufficient available
capacity to support the VCC with the appropriate
QOS.
 The virtual path control mechanisms include:
– - calculating routes
– - allocating capacity
– - storing connection state information
 Simplified NW architecture
 Increased NW performance and reliability
 Reduced processing and short connection

setup time
 Enhanced NW services
 Process of setting up VPC is decoupled from
the process of setting up an indl VC
connection.
 Virtual path control mechanism includes

calculating routes, allocating capacity and

storing connection state info
 For VC setup control involves checking that

there is a VPC to the destination node with

sufficient capacity to sp the VC and then
storing the state info(VC/VP mapping)
 Between end users
 Between an end user and a network entity
 Between 2 network entities
 Quality of Service (QoS)
 Switched and semi-permanent virtual channel

connections
 Cell sequence integrity
 Traffic parameter negotiation and usage
monitoring
 (VPC only) virtual channel identifier restriction

within a VPC
 A mechanism to establish and release VPCs and VCCs
 2 methods for VCCs:
◦ Semi-permanent VCCs. No control signalling reqd
◦ Meta-signaling channel. If no pre est call control signalling mechanism then one
needs to be set up.
◦ Control signalling exch takes place between the user and NW or user to user
signalling VC on some ch.
 The term 'meta signalling' is used to indicate that call control needs VP/VC
communication prior to user data transmissions.
 Since all call control commands fit into a single cell, no segmentation and
reassembly is needed which means that no adaption layer (AAL) is needed.
 Meta signalling uses these reserved addresses:
◦ VCI=1
◦ VPI=0
 3 methods for VPCs
◦ Semi-permanent. No control signaling reqd
◦ Customer controlled. Customer uses a signaling VC
to request the virtual path from the NW
◦ Network controlled. NW est a VP for its own
convenience. Path may be NW-NW,user-NW or
user-user
 Header Payload

5 Bytes 48 Bytes

 Small Size
◦ 5 Byte Header
◦ 48 Byte Payload
 Fixed Size
 Header contains virtual circuit information
 Payload can be voice, video or other data
types

A
 64 + 5 32 + 4

48 + 5
 Compromise reached in ITU-TS Study
Group XVIII in June 1989
 Generic flow control
 Virtual path identifier (VPI)
 Virtual channel identifier (VCI)
 Payload type
 Cell loss priority
 Header error control
 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Generic Flow Virtual Path
Control Identifier
Virtual Path Virtual Channel
Identifier Identifier
Virtual Channel
Identifier
Virtual Channel Identifier Payload Type
Identifier CLP

Header Error
Check

Payload
(48 bytes)

 Does not appear in the cell header internal to

the NW but only at the user-NW interface
 Control traffic flow at user-network interface
(UNI) to alleviate short-term overload conditions
 When GFC enabled at UNI, 2 procedures used:
◦ Uncontrolled transmission
◦ Controlled transmission
(In essence every connection is identified as either subject
to flow control or not)
 The controlled equipment initializes two variables
◦ TRANSMIT is a flag initialized to SET(1)
◦ GO_CNTR which is a credit counter is initialized to 0
 Rules for transmission
◦ If TRANSMIT=1 cells on uncontrolled connections may be sent at any time
◦ If TRANSMIT = 0 no cells may be sent on either controlled or uncontrolled
connections
◦ If a HALT signal is received from the controlling eqpt TRANSMIT is set to 0
and remains at zero until a NO_HALT signal is received at which time
TRANSMIT is set to 1
◦ If TRANSMIT = 1 and there is no cell to transmit on any uncontrolled
connections then
 If GO_CNTR >0 then the controlling eqpt may send a cell on controlled connection. The
controlling eqpt will mark that cell as cell on controlled connection and decrement GO_CNTR
 If GO_CNTR = 0 then the controlling eqpt may not send a cell on controlled connection
 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Generic Flow Virtual Path
Control Identifier
Virtual Path Virtual Channel
Identifier Identifier
Virtual Channel
Identifier
Virtual Channel Identifier Payload Type
Identifier CLP

Header Error
Check

Payload
(48 bytes)

 8-bit field calculated based on remaining 32 bits of header. Polynomial

used is X8+X2+X+1
 The tx side calculates an error code value based on contents of 32 bits of
header
 The tx side inserts this resulting code as HEC
 The rx side using the same algorithm calculates an error code value based
on the contents of received data
 The receive side compares the value calculated with contents of HEC
received . If the codes match it is assumed no error has occured
 Used for error detection
 In some cases, error correction of single-bit errors in header
 2 modes:
◦ error detection
◦ Error correction
 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Generic Flow Virtual Path
Control Identifier
Virtual Path Virtual Channel
Identifier Identifier
Virtual Channel
Identifier
Virtual Channel Identifier Payload Type
Identifier CLP

Header Error
Check

Payload
(48 bytes)

 8 bits at the user-NW interface and 12 bits at the NW-

NW interface
 At the NW some more VP reqd for NW mgmt
 The VCI is used for routing to and from the end user.
 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Generic Flow Virtual Path
Control Identifier
Virtual Path Virtual Channel
Identifier Identifier
Virtual Channel
Identifier
Virtual Channel Identifier Payload Type
Identifier CLP

Header Error
Check

Indicates the type of information in the info field

Payload
 (48 bytes)

 A value of zero in the first bit indicates user info

that is info from the next higher layer
 The second bit indicates whether congestion has
been experienced
 The third bit indicates the two types of ATM SDUs.
The term SDU refers to the 48 octet payload of the
cell
 A value of 1 in the first bit indicates that this cell
carries NW mgmt or maintenance info
 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Generic Flow Virtual Path
Control Identifier
Virtual Path Virtual Channel
Identifier Identifier
Virtual Channel
Identifier
Virtual Channel Identifier Payload Type
Identifier CLP

Header Error
Check

Payload
(48 bytes)

 Provides guidance in case of congestion

 a value of 0 indicates a cell of relatively higher priority
 A value of 1 indicates that this cell is subject to discard within
the NW
 Cells with bit set should be discarded before those with bit not set
 Can be set by the terminal
 Can be set by ATM switches for internal network control
◦ Virtual channels/paths with low quality of service
◦ Cells that violate traffic management contract
 Key to ATM Traffic Management
 I.413, defines two approaches for transmission of ATM cells at 155 Mbps
◦ a cell-based physical layer
◦ a SDH-based physical layer
 Cell-Based Physical Layer
 Continuous stream of 53-byte cells interface structure with no external frame, thus synchronization
is required using the HEC field
◦ HUNT state: a cell delineation algorithm is performed bit-by-bit for determining the match
between received HEC and calculated HEC
◦ Then moves to the PRESYNC state
◦ PRESYNC state: a cell structure is assumed. Cell delineation algorithm is performed cell-by-
cell for consecutively δ times
◦ SYNC state: the HEC is used for error detection and correction. If HEC coding is incorrect for α
times, then delineation is lost
 α and δ are design parameters
 larger δ results in longer delays in establishing synchronization
 larger α results in longer delay in recognizing a misalignment but in greater robustness against
false misalignment
 Correct HEC
Bit by bit Cell by cell

HUNT PRE-SYNCH

Incorrect HEC

Alpha consecutive
incorrect HEC

SYNCH Delta consecutive

correct HEC
 Cells can be carried over SONET/SDH with STM-1 frame
imposed
 STM-1 payload consists of a 9-byte path overhead portion
and ATM cells
 Advantages of the SDL-based approach
 Can carry either ATM-based or STM-based
payload
 More efficient for circuit-switched applications
such as CBR video traffic than ATM switching
 Combining several ATM streams to build
interfaces with higher bit rates than those
supported by the ATM layer at a particular site
 e.g., combination of four separate 155 Mbps
ATM streams (STM-1) into a 622 Mbps (STM-4)
interface (maybe more cost effective than a single
622-Mbps ATM stream)
 Support non-ATM protocols
◦ e.g., PCM voice, LAPF
◦ PCM voice produces stream of bits. These PCM bits
are reqd to be converted to cells for transmission
and vice versa for reception
◦ LAPD/LAPF frames are reqd to be segmented into
cells for tx and reassembling for reception
 AAL Services
◦ Handle transmission errors
◦ Segmentation/reassembly (SAR)
◦ Handle lost and misinserted cell conditions
◦ Flow control and timing control
• Classification of services is based on
– Whether timing relationship must be maintained between source and destination
– Whether application requires a constant bit rate
– Whether the transfer is connection-oriented or connectionless
 Circuit emulation (e.g., T-1 synchronous TDM
circuits). Class A
 VBR voice and video. Class B
 General data services. Class C or D
 IP over ATM. Class D
 AAL layer has 2 sublayers:
◦ Convergence Sublayer (CS)
 Supports specific applications using AAL
 Each application attaches to AAL at a service access
point(SAP) which is simply the address of the
application
◦ Segmentation and Reassembly Layer (SAR)
 Packages data from CS into cells and unpacks at other
end
 SAR must pack any SAR headers and trailers plus CS
info into 48 octet blocks
• Originally ITU-T had one protocol type for each class
– Recently types 3 and 4 merged into a type 3/4, and a new type 5
– See below for PDU formats at SAR level except for type 2 (to be defined)
 Constant-bit-rate source
 SAR simply packs bits into cells and unpacks them at

destination
 Each block has a seq no for tracking errored PDUs
 One octet header consists of
◦ 4 bit SN field
◦ 4 bit seq no protection (SNP) field
 SN field contains
◦ 3-bit Seq Count(SC) field to provide an 8-cell frame structure
◦ one bit Convergence sublayer indication
 3 bit SC defines a frame structure consisting of 8 consecutive ATM cells numbered 0 to 7
 The CSI values in cells 1,3,5,7 are interpreted as 4 bit timing value to provide measure of
frequency offset between NW’s reference clock and the transmitter’s clock
 In even numbered cells if the CSI bit is set to one then the first octet of the SAR PDU
payload is a pointer that indicates the start of the next structured block within the payload
of this cell and the next cell
 The two cells 0-1,2-3,4-5,6-7 are treated as containing a one octet pointer and 93 octet
payload. The pointer indicates where in the 93 octet payload is the first octet of next block
of data
 The 3 bit SC field provides a mean of detecting lost/misordered cells
 The SNP field is an error code for error detection and possibly error correction
 It consists of
◦ a 3 bit CRC calculated over 4 bit SN field
◦ a parity bit
 CS sublayer primarily for clocking and synchronization. A separate header is not needed
 May be connectionless or connection oriented
 May be message mode or streaming mode
 Message mode transfers framed data(LAPD or

Frame Relay). A single block of data from

layer above is transferred in one or more cells
 Streaming mode sp the transfer of low speed

continuous data with low delay requirements.

Data is presented to AAL in fixed size blocks
which may be as small as one octet. One
block is transferred per cell
 A block of data from the higher layer is
encapsulated into a PDU at the CS sublayer
 It is referred to as the common part
convergence sublayer (CPCS)
 The CPCS data in blocks is passed to the SAR
sublayer. Blocks are referred to as SAR service
data units(SDUs) where it is broken into 44
octet payload blocks
 Each payload block can fit into an SAR PDU
which includes a header and trailer for a total
length of 48 octets
 Common part indicator(CPI)
◦ One octet
◦ A CPI value of 0 indicates that the BAsize field defines the buffer allocation
requirement in octets and the Length field defines the length of CPCS PDU
payload in octets
 Beginning tag
◦ One octet
◦ A no associated with a particular CPCS PDU
◦ The same value appears in the Btag and Etag field in the trailer
◦ The sender changes the value for each successive CPCS PDU enabling the
receiver to associate correctly the header and trailer of each CPCS PDU
 Buffer allocation size
◦ 2 octets
◦ Indicates to the receiving entity the max buffer size required for reassembly
of the CPCS SDU
◦ For message mode the value is equal to the CPCS PDU payload length
◦ For streaming mode the value is greater than or equal to the CPCS PDU
payload length
 The payload from the next higher layer is padded out so that the
trailer begins on a 32 bit boundary
 Alignment
◦ One octet
◦ A filler octet whose only purpose is to make the
length of CPCS PDU equal to 32 bits
 End tag
◦ One octet
◦ Used with Btag field in the header
 Length
◦ 2 octets
◦ Length of the CPCS PDU payload field
 CPCS layer alerts the receiver that a block of
data is coming in segments and that the buffer
space must be allocated for the reassembly
 Segment type
◦ 2 bits
◦ Four types of SAR PDUs
◦ A single sequence message (SSM) contains an entire SAR PDU
◦ If the SAR SDU is segmented into two or more SAR PDUs, the first SAR PDU
is the Beginning of the message(BOM), the last is the end of the
message(EOM) and intermediate are continuation of message(COM)
 Sequence Number
◦ 4 bits
◦ Used in reassembling an SAR SDU to verify that all of the SAR PDUs have
been received correctly
◦ A value of the seq no is set in the BOM and incremented for each
successive Com and the EOM for a single SAR SDU
 Multiplexing identification
◦ 8 bits
◦ A unique identifier associated with the set of SAR PDUs that carry a single
SAR SDU
◦ In connection oriented applications allows the mux of multiple SAR
connections on a single ATM connection
 Length Indiaction
◦ 6 bits
◦ Indicates the number of octets from the SAR SDU that occupy the segmentation unit
of the SAR PDU.
◦ Has a value from 4 to 44 octets in multiples of 44
◦ Value will be 44 for BOM and COM SAR PDUs
◦ Lesser number in SSM if the SAR SDU is less than 44 octets in length
◦ Lesser number in an EOM if the length of SAR SDU is not an integer multiple of 44
octets in length. Partially filled EOM. In that case SAR PDU is padded
 CRC
◦ 10 bits CRC on the entire SAR PDU
 Multiplexing different streams is a distinctive feature of AAL3/4. For
connection oriented service each logical connection between AAL users is
assigned a unique MID value. Thus cell traffic from different connections can
be mux and interleaved over a single ATM connection
 For the connectionless service the MID field can be used to communicate
unique identifier associated with each connectionless user
 Streamlined transport for connection oriented
protocols
 Assumed that the higher layer takes care of
connection mgmt and the ATM layer produces
minimal errors
 Most of the fields in the SAR and CPCS PDUs are not
necessary
 For eg with connection oriented service the MID field
is not necessary. The VCI/VPI is available for cell by
cell mux
 Type 5 was introduced to:-
◦ Reduce protocol processing overhead
◦ Reduce transmission overhead
◦ Ensure adaptability to existing transport protocols
 CPCS user to user indication
◦ 1 octet
◦ Used to tfr user to user information transparently
 Common part indicator
◦ 1 octet
◦ Indicates the interpretation of the remaining fields in the CPCS
PDU trailer
 Length
◦ 2 octets
◦ Length of the CPCS PDU payload field
 CRC
◦ 4 octets
◦ Used to detect bit errors in the CPCS PDU
◦ Provides strong protection against bit errors
◦ Since no seq no the CRC provides for correct order of the arriving
SAR PDUs for reassembly
 In type ¾ 8 octets were overhead in the CPCS. Same is the case with type5.
 Whereas the overhead in the SAR PDU is removed
 BAsize field is eliminated.
◦ Buffer allocation for reassembly left to a higher layer.
◦ Many higher layers protocols negotiate a max PDU size and this info used by
receiver to allocate buffers
 No MID field .
◦ No interleaving of cells from different CPCS PDUs.
◦ Therefore each successive SAR PDU carries a portion of the current CPCS PDU or
the first block of the next CPCS PDU.
◦ To distinguish between these two cases , the SDU type bit in the payload type field
of the ATM cell header is used
 No LI field
◦ Means no way to distinguish between CPCS PDU and the filler in the last SAR PDU.
◦ Therefore no way to find CPCS PDU trailer in the last SAR PDU.
◦ Thus the CPCS PDU is padded out so that last bit of the CPCS trailer occurs as the
last bit of the final SAR PDU
 Virtual Channel Identifier (VCI)
◦ the label associated with a VC
◦ 16-bit integer in UNI ATM cell format
◦ carried in ATM cell header for identification
◦ VCIs are locally significant only (i.e., assigned on
a per link basis by the ATM devices at either end of
that link)
 Virtual Path (VP)
◦ a group of virtual channels (VC’s) all travelling
between the same two points in ATM network
◦ used by the network to simplify provisioning,
resource management, providing different grades
of service, etc.
◦ “bundles up” traffic heading to same destination
 Virtual Path Identifier (VPI)
◦ the label associated with a VP
◦ 8-bit integer in UNI ATM cell format
◦ carried in ATM cell header for identification
◦ part of two level addressing scheme in ATM
◦ note that VPI’s are locally significant only (i.e.,
assigned on a per link basis by the ATM devices at
either end of that link)
 VP switch: an ATM switch that deals only with
the VPI’s in cell headers (e.g., a core switch
in middle of a large ATM network)
 VC switch: an ATM switch that deals only with

the VCI’s in cell headers (e.g., access switch

at the edge of an ATM network)
 VP/VC switch: an ATM switch that deals with

both VPI’s and VCI’s in cell switching

 Permanent Virtual Channel (PVC)
◦ a virtual channel connection (virtual channel) that is
set up on a long term basis (e.g., hours, days,
months, years) by a human operator
◦ involves statically configuring the “routing
table” in ATM equipment
◦ done as part of network provisioning in current
ATM network testbeds
◦ supported by all ATM switch vendors
 Switched Virtual Channel (SVC)
◦ a virtual channel connection (virtual channel)
that is set up by the ATM signaling protocol
between two communicating ATM entities
◦ set up on an as needed basis, and torn down
when complete
◦ short term basis (e.g., seconds, minutes)
◦ involves dynamically configuring the “routing
table” in ATM equipment
◦ supported by very few ATM switch vendors
 ATM terminology is confusing (e.g.,
Virtual Paths, Virtual Channels, VPI’s, VCI’s,
VPC’s, VCC’s, PVC’s...)
 One way to explain these terms is with the

use of a simple analogy: airline travel

 Flight number on a  Virtual Path
specific airline Identifier (VPI)
◦ e.g., AC 1290 ◦ e.g., VPI = 23
 Flight number on a  Virtual Path
specific airline Identifier (VPI)
◦ e.g., AC 1290 ◦ e.g., VPI = 23
 Seat assignment on  Virtual Channel
a specific flight Identifier (VCI)
◦ e.g., 22A ◦ e.g., VCI = 305
 Virtual Channel Connection:
◦ an end-to-end concatenation of flights and seat
assignments that get you (an individual traffic flow)
to your actual destination
◦ Example: from Mumbai to Bhopal requires going
Mumbai-Indore-Bhopal
 Note that VPI’s and VCI’s are only locally
significant (per hop basis)
 Provides a two-level addressing scheme that
uniquely identifies each “cell” (passenger) on
a per-hop basis
 All VCI’s represent individual traffic flows
 VPI is a “bundle” of VCI’s all heading in the

same direction
 All VCI’s on that VPI receive the same “grade
of service” in some sense (e.g., food, cost,
arrival time, bumpy flight, crash, etc.)
 There might be other VPI’s between the same

two points that offer different quality of

service (e.g., other airlines, other flights at
different times of day)
 Airlines (and air traffic controllers) only deal
with VPI’s (i.e., flights) when doing
scheduling, takeoff, landing, routing,
provisioning, etc (not individual cells)
 Airlines can add or remove flights (VPI’s) on a

medium to long term basis, but individual

passengers (VCI’s) can come and go on a
fairly short term basis
 Airport terminal  ATM switch
◦ Lots of flights and ◦ Lots of cells with
passengers coming in VPI’s and VCI’s
and going out coming in, going out
◦ Main goal is to make ◦ Main goal is to make
sure that passengers sure that cells
coming in on flights coming in on input
are sent out on the ports are switched
right outgoing flights onto the correct
output ports
 An incoming passenger arrives on seat A of
flight B at gate C, and wants to depart on seat
D of flight E at gate F
 Changing flights and seat: VP/VC switch
 Changing seats, but not flight: VC switch
 Changing flight, but not seat: VP switch
 Same flight, same seat: no switch!
 Fixed-size packets called cells
 Streamlined: minimal error and flow control
 2 protocol layers relate to ATM functions:

◦ Common layer providing packet transfers

◦ Service dependent ATM adaptation layer (AAL)
 AAL maps other protocols to ATM
 User
 Control
 management
 VCC (Virtual Channel Connection): a logical
connection analogous to virtual circuit in X.25
 VPC (Virtual Path Connection): a bundle of

VCCs with same endpoints

 Simplified network architecture
 Increased network performance and reliability
 Reduced processing and short connection

setup time
 Enhanced network services
 ATM is switch-based, not router based.
 Switches perform far better than routers,

as most of the decisions can be made in

hardware.
 Switches minimize delay.
 Finally, switches, at least historically, are

cheaper than routers.

 ATM is cell-based.
 ATM does not provide for an end-to-end bit

stream
 It provides packet switching with small,

fixed-size packets.
 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Generic Flow Virtual Path
Control Identifier
Virtual Path Virtual Channel
Identifier Identifier
Virtual Channel
Identifier
Virtual Channel Identifier Payload Type
Identifier CLP

Header Error
Check

Payload
76 Video (48 bytes)

3
88 Voice
37 Video 42 Data
4
1
37 Video 78 Voice 52 Data
5
2

6 22 Video

Connection Table
Port VPI/VCI Port VPI/VCI
Video
1 0/37 3 0/76
Data
1 0/42 5 0/52
Video
2 0/37 6 0/22
Voice
2 0/78 4 0/88
 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Generic Flow Virtual Path
Control Identifier
Virtual Path Virtual Channel
Identifier Identifier
Virtual Channel
Identifier
Virtual Channel Identifier Payload Type
Identifier CLP

Physical Link Header Error

Check

Payload
(48 bytes)

Virtual Path

Virtual Channel
 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Generic Flow Virtual Path
Control Identifier
Virtual Path Virtual Channel
Identifier Identifier
Virtual Channel
Identifier
Virtual Channel Identifier Payload Type
Identifier CLP

Header Error
Check

 Cells with bit set should be discarded Payload

(48 bytes)

before those with bit not set

 Can be set by the terminal
 Can be set by ATM switches for internal

network control
◦ Virtual channels/paths with low quality of
service
◦ Cells that violate traffic management contract
 Key to ATM Traffic Management
 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Generic Flow Virtual Path
Control Identifier
Virtual Path Virtual Channel
Identifier Identifier
Virtual Channel
Identifier
Virtual Channel Identifier Payload Type
Identifier CLP

Header Error
Check

Used for UNI only - Not NNI

Payload
 (48 bytes)

 Currently undefined

 Set to 0000
B
 Proposed future uses

◦ Flow control
◦ Shared media multiple access

B
 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Generic Flow Virtual Path
Control Identifier
Virtual Path Virtual Channel
Identifier Identifier
Virtual Channel
Identifier
Virtual Channel Identifier Payload Type
Identifier CLP

Header Error
Check

Header error control

Payload
(48 bytes)

◦ Detection mode:
 Protects header only (all five bytes)
 Discards cell when header error
◦ Correction mode (optional): Correct 1 bit
errors else discard when error detected
 Reduced cell loss in face of single bit errors
 Reduced error detection for multiple bit errors
 Cell delineation for SONET, SDH, etc...
 Recalculated link-by-link because of
VPI/VCI value changes