Connection control in ATM networks

Abstract

This paper describes a new connection management algorithm called parallel connection control (PCC) that allows for fast connection setup in scaleable reliable asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks. The two main concepts of PCC are execution of connection setup actions at multiple switches on the route of a connection in parallel, and the separation of the route computation function into servers distinct from switch processors. The associated benefits of these concepts are fast connection setup and increased per-switch call handling capacity relative to the conventional approach of setting up connections sequentially switch-by-switch with switches performing route computation. The PCC solution is designed to work in conjunction with the current ATM Forum signaling and routing standards solutions, offering a means to achieve improved call handling performance. This paper also introduces the concept of application-dependent routing for setting up logical connections, which consist of multiple network-layer connections routed through application-layer resources, such as bridges and converters. In this paper, we propose two models for handling complex communication configurations: an end-host-driven model and a network-value-added model using application-dependent route (ADR) servers.