ATM Adaptation Layer

The ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) defines the rules for breaking up a higher level protocol data unit (PDU) into ATM cells for transmission on the network, and for reassembling the PDU at the other end Segmentation and reassembly (SAR) Convergence sublayer: adds sequencing and control information to aid SAR process
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Example: ATM Adaptation Layer

TCP IP AAL ATM TCP IP AAL ATM

ATM NETWORK

AAL Protocols
There are several different proposed AAL protocols for different traffic types Example: AAL 1
for real time or continuous bit rate services, such as video traffic requires 1 byte of overhead per ATM cell (i.e., within the 48 byte payload) 1 bit CSI, 3 bit sequence count, 3 bit CRC, and 1 bit parity
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AAL Protocols (Contd)

Example: AAL 3/4
an adaptation layer for connectionless or connection-oriented data traffic 4 bytes overhead per ATM cell 16 bit header (2 bit type, 4 bit seq, 10 bit MID) 16 bit trailer (6 bit length, 10 bit CRC) very high overhead!!!

Adaptation Layer : A detailed view

Higher layer PDU

Adaptation Layer : A detailed view

Higher layer PDU

CS layer

CS-header

PDU

Pad CS-trailer

Adaptation Layer : A detailed view

Higher layer PDU

CS layer

CS-header

PDU

Pad CS-trailer

SAR SAR-PDUSAR-PDUSAR-PDU layer header payload trailer

SAR-PDUSAR-PDUSAR-PDU header payload trailer

Adaptation Layer : A detailed view

Higher layer PDU

CS layer

CS-header

PDU

Pad CS-trailer

SAR SAR-PDUSAR-PDUSAR-PDU layer header payload trailer

SAR-PDUSAR-PDUSAR-PDU header payload trailer

ATM layer

Cell Cell header payload

Cell Cell header payload

AAL Protocols (Contd)

Example: AAL 5
an adaptation layer for data traffic designed by data neworking researchers Simple and Efficient Adaptation Layer (SEAL) much lower overhead 8 byte trailer per PDU (i.e., last cell of a PDU) 1 bit of header in last cell of a PDU 48 bytes of data in each ATM cell
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AAL 5
User data

5 byte header

48 bytes of data

flag

8 byte trailer

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AAL 5

User data

Pad
0-47 bytes

Control field
2 bytes

Length field
2 bytes

CRC 32
4 bytes

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Summary
The ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) defines the rules for breaking up a higher level protocol data unit (PDU) into ATM cells for transmission on the network, and for reassembling the PDU at the other end Several AALs to choose from AAL5 is the best for data traffic
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