NI-1.0

Hands-on ATM

Objectives Prerequisites Who should attend Course Outline Hands-on Sessions

This course is designed to:

• Provide you with the operational and theoretical detail of ATM
• Give you hands-on exposure to ATM networks and specific ATM networking equipment
• Highlight the key design and implementation issues of an ATM network
• Develop your confidence in supporting ATM

This is an advanced network technology subject. You will have had at least two years practical network experience. We would recommend that you attend our Hands-on Networking for Rookies or Hands-on Bridges, Switches, Routers courses for foundation knowledge.

Ideally you would have two years network experience and be in one of the following positions: Network Manager, Communications Consultant/Analyst, Network Engineer, Support Specialist, Installation Engineer, Network Planner or Designer.

Getting started

• ATM overview
• ATM network basics

Architecture detail

• Physical layer
• components
• transmission interfaces
• Protocol model
• Cell definitions
• cell structure
• UNI/NNI
• payload type indicator
• cell loss priority
• reserved header values
• Payload structure
• ATM adaptation layer definitions
• AAL layer specifics
• AAL 3/4/5 multiplexing

ATM hardware and software

• ATM switches
• architecture
• buffering and blocking issues
• chip sets
• ATM switch comparison
• vendors
• interfaces and ports
• PVC/SVC support
• traffic control
• Virtual LAN (VLAN) integration
• management
• choosing the right switch
• LAN ATM
• routers, bridges, switches and hubs

Traffic management

• Traffic and congestion control
• Quality of Service (QOS) parameters and classes
• Leaky bucket algorithm
• Usage/Network Parameter Control (UPC/NPC)
• Traffic shaping methods
• CBR and VBR service categories
• Connection Admission Control (CAC)
• Categories of congestion control
• Congestion management
• UPC discard
• CAC
• Explicit Forward Congestion Indication (EFCI)
• UPC tagging and call blocking
• Flow control options
• Congestion recovery

ATM end systems

• Network addressing and routing
• address assignment and resolution
• LAN Emulator (LANE)
• Fore systems approach
• IETF IP over ATM
• Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
• ATM applications
• network backbone
• client/server
• multimedia
• internetworking

ATM protocol internetworking

• Internetworking overview
• Internetworking protocols
• Data Exchange Interfaces (DXI)
• Multiprotocol over AALs
• protocol encapsulation
• bridge and router LLC
• VC multiplexing
• Frame relay internetworking
• considerations, traffic mapping

Network management

• Fault management
• Loopback, diagnostic and continuity checks
• QOS measurement
• Cell loss, error, misinsertion ratios
• SNMP MIBs

Public ATM services

• ATM public network architectures
• B-ISDN services
• Service connections issues

Future directions

• ATM Forum activities
• IETF activities
• ATM adopters
• ATM over satellite
• ATM challenges

Build an ATM workstation

In this session you will install ATM to the desktop. Utilising high performance ATM host interface cards you will install, configure and test them for proper operation.

Build an ATM network

After the workstations you will install ATM switches and undertake configuration and testing of those switches by observing performance and configuration information. Verify your work by establishing an ATM connection across the network.

ATM testing and measurement

Careful consideration needs to be given to both the testing and performance measurement of an ATM network. This session explores utilising an ATM scope along with the ATM UNI and AAL protocol layer fields operation and impact.

LAN Emulation (LANE)

The preservation of existing LAN environments in conjunction with an ATM network is often a very important deployment issue. Integrate various LAN components to the existing ATM network. See first hand LANE operational issues.

ATM network management

Utilising the various network management tools available, connect to an ATM switch and use the switch's management tools to view the multitude of parameters that can affect the performance characteristics of the network. Also view switch performance and configuration information.