ATM Technology

ATM is a switched, connection-oriented networking technology that provides dedicated,
high-speed connections to virtually an unlimited number of users. It operates on a cell-based
fast-packet communication method that supports transfer rates from 1.544 Mbps to 10 Gbps.

Dedicated media connections running in parallel allow an ATM switch to simultaneously
support multiple conversations, eliminating the bandwidth contention and data bottlenecks
found on shared-media networks such as Ethernet, Token Ring and FDDI.

When Data is transferred in an ATM network, a switched virtual circuit (SVC) is established
between the sender and receiver. The information is converted into fixed-length cells, which
are transmitted through the network and reassembled into data packets at the destination.

ATM relies on the reliability of digital lines to ensure data integrity and does not use
error-correction protocols. Numerous transmissions can take place at once, enabling ATM
to accommodate multiple dialogues quickly, easily and reliably.

ATM's dedicated bandwidth is capable of easily supporting data-intensive applications such
as high-resolution computer graphics, large data-base management systems and high-end
engineering packages. The technology's high throughput and real-time information delivery
also make it a perfect solution for emerging multimedia applications combining data, voice
and animation.

ATM can be installed into an existing network as needed without upgrading the entire LAN!