Technologies for Broadband Switching

Abstract

For an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network to provide a wide range of services, high-capacity and low-cost network elements are needed. The capacity and cost of these elements are determined by the costs of the underlying hardware and software devices necessary to build them: ATM line cards, switching fabrics, and control structures. These devices, in turn, are built upon the advanced technologies of digital devices, optics, algorithms, and architectures. In this paper, we explore the applications of these technologies to develop ATM line cards, ATM switching fabrics, and ATM control structures.