ATM / MPLS / V5 / Broadband

Trillium ATM / MPLS / V5 / Broadband protocol software enables network equipment providers to build a complete suite of communication devices – from core network elements to customer premise equipment – in technologies such as ATM, MPLS, DSL, Cable Modem and Frame Relay.

Increasing demand for ubiquitous, instant access to data, voice and video have fueled the growth of broadband technology, which provides high bandwidth and user-selectable Quality of Service (QoS). User-selectable QoS means that a user application can specify the transmission delay, error rate and bandwidth requirements on a per-connection basis.

Years ago, Frame Relay technology met the high-speed data demand within backbone networks. Later, ATM became the technology of choice for transporting data, voice and multimedia traffic.

Today, ATM is gaining additional prominence at the edge of the network within customer premises environment. The main technologies driving this trend are DSL, 3G Wireless and VoIP. For example, ATM-over-DSL enables cost-effective broadband communications over existing copper local loops. In 3G Wireless, ATM provides the capabilities to enable multimedia broadband communication over the wireless infrastructure.

Similarly, an unparalleled surge in the popularity of the Internet and the need to transport IP traffic seamlessly over different types of broadband technologies have driven the definition of a new overlay control protocol mechanism known as Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) to enable high-speed switching over ATM, Frame Relay and Gigabit Ethernet backbones.

ATM

ATM is essentially a packet-switched network with fixed-size packets known as cells. These cells are switched based on a Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) and Virtual Channel Identifier (VCI). A connection in an ATM network is achieved by tying together a series of VPIs/VCIs at multiple interfaces. A basic ATM network consists of a set of ATM switches and Network Interface Cards (NICs) connected by point-to-point ATM links.

Trillium ATM protocol offerings can be divided into five categories:

1. The Signaling protocol is used to establish the ATM SVC, consisting of the Layer 2 data link management protocol and Layer 3 signaling protocol.
2. The Routing protocol is used to route an ATM signaling control message through the ATM network. The ATM Forum defines the PNNI for dynamic routing and the IISP for static routing.
3. The Application protocol is used to map IP applications and legacy Ethernet/Token-ring over ATM. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) defines CIP and PPP over AAL5. The ATM Forum defines LANE and MPOA.
4. The Interface Management protocol is used to manage ATM links and register ATM addresses.
5. Drivers for ATM chipsets enable the ease of integration.

ATM Network Architecture

ATM Solutions

MPLS

Trillium Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) software source code solutions enable end-to-end, high performance implementation of the MPLS standard across backbone networks. MPLS plays an important role in the routing, switching and forwarding of packets through the next-generation network to meet the service demands of network users.

MPLS is an emerging standard rapidly gaining acceptance by telecom equipment manufacturers, carriers and ISPs. MPLS addresses the “Four S” problem of achieving:

• Speed
• Security
• Scalability
• Service guarantees

MPLS initially grew as a way of improving the forwarding speed of routers; however, in today’s network, MPLS offers new capabilities for large scale, carrier-grade IP packet switched networks and optical networks.

MPLS is an accelerated data-forwarding technology using an identifier called label to identify, classify and forward data. A label is appended/swapped to the packets that traverse through an MPLS domain. Once that packet reaches the destination edge of the network, the label is stripped away. The MPLS protocol derives its performance by simply switching labels on packets within the network.

MPLS is an efficient way of integrating IP and ATM networks. It allows high-volume IP traffic to traverse core ATM infrastructures. It also allows the QoS provided by ATM be visible at the IP level. Traffic Engineering and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are some of the applications that can harness the MPLS technology.

MPLS network devices are called Label Switched Routers (LSRs), and are classified as Label Edge Routers (LERs), operating at the edge of the network, and Label Core Routers (LCRs), operating in the core of the network. LCRs may commonly be called LSRs.

In a MPLS network, the path that a data packet uses to reach its destination is referred to as the Label-Switched Path (LSP) and the distribution of labels within the MPLS domain is carried out by the signaling protocols such as LDP/CR-LDP or RSVP-TE.

Trillium MPLS enables a new era of IP services and integration between IP and ATM networks, combining the benefits of IP routing with the advanced traffic management provided by an ATM core.

MPLS Stack Diagram

MPLS Network Architecture

MPLS Stack Components

The core MPLS components can be broken down into the following parts:

MPLS Solutions

The Trillium MPLS solution implements LDP, CR-LDP, RSVP-TE, O-UNI and GMPLS protocols to set up and delete Label Switched Paths (LSP) and distribute labels. Trillium MPLS can work with any operating system, routing module, resource manager and forwarding engine.

Trillium MPLS supports:

Frame Relay and Frame Relay/ATM Interworking

Frame Relay is a protocol standard for LAN internetworking which provides a fast and efficient method of transmitting information from a user device to LAN bridges and routers.

Trillium Frame Relay Control Protocol (Q.933/LMI) provides status signaling for PVCs (LMI) and/or signaling to establish, maintain and release SVCs (Q.933). It supports UNI (user and network side) as well as NNI procedures (X.76). LMI provides procedures to maintain and manage PVCs. It provides auto detection of remote LMI protocol and support for multiple variants, Q.933 Annex A, ANSI Annex D., Q.933 Annex A-Bidirectional, ANSI Annex A-Bidirectional, and Gang of Four. It supports ANSI, ITU-T and Frame Relay Forum specifications, and it interworks with Trillium Frame Relay Data Link (Q.922) product.

Trillium Frame Relay Data Link (Q.922) provides core Frame Relay functions and/or control protocol for reliable transmission of frames (LAPF). It provides traffic and congestion management, DLCI switching, multicast and RFC 1490. It supports user and network side procedures, and ANSI, ITU-T and Frame Relay Forum specifications, including FRF.12. It interworks with Trillium Frame Relay Control Protocol (Q.933/LMI) and Frame Relay/ATM Interworking products.

ISDN

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) enables transmission of voice, data, video and graphics at high speeds over standard lines. ISDN provides a single common interface with which to access digital communications services while remaining user-transparent. ISDN may be transmitted via the PSTN, packet-switched networks, telex, CATV networks, etc.

Trillium Q.930/Q.931 software supports the signaling protocol to establish, maintain and release circuit-switched connections across an ISDN network. It may act as user and/or network side.

Trillium Q.930/Q.931 software supports Basic Rate Interface and/or Primary Rate Interface, and ITU-T, AT&T 4ESS, AT&T 5ESS, Northern Telecom DMS-100, DMS-250, National ISDN-1, National ISDN-2, ETSI, VN2, VN3, 1TR^, NTT, Australian Telecom, TR-303, GR-303, Q.SIG and other variants. It also supports Fault-Tolerant/High Availability functionality utilizing an active/standby architecture.

Trillium LAPD software supports the LAPD link-level protocol. It may act as user and/or network side and supports TEI management procedures, ITU-T and other variants.

Trillium LAPB and LAPD software support LAPB and LAPD link level protocols. They may act as user and/or network side. They support TEI management procedures, ITU-T, ISO and other variants.

For information about Trillium ISDN over ATM Convergence Layer, please refer to the ATM product group within the Trillium Broadband category.

V5

Trillium V5 protocol software is used for connecting an Access Network (AN) to a Local Exchange (LE). It is used for:

• ISDN basic rate access
• ISDN primary rate access (V5.2)
• Analog telephone access
• Other analog or digital accesses for semi-permanent connections without associated outband signaling information

Trillium V5-LAPV supports the LAPV link level protocol used in V5.1 and V5.2 interfaces to establish and release multiple frame operations. It may act as Local Exchange and/or Access Network.

The Trillium V5-Envelope Function supports the V5 Envelope Function for the V5.1 or V5.2 interface. It includes support for the LAPV envelope function, mapping function and AN Frame Relay function.

Trillium V5 Layer 3 supports the V5 Layer 3 protocols to establish, maintain and release connections across a telephone network using the V5.1 or V5.2 interface as well as manage and control ports and links. It includes:

• V5/1V5.2 PSTN Protocol
• V5.1/V5.2 Control Protocol
• V5.2 Bearer Channel Connection Protocol
• V5.2 Protection Protocol
• V5.2 Link Control Protocol

Trillium V5 Layer 3 also includes the System Manager used to manage and coordinate activities of the V5 protocols and resources and may act as an Access Network and/or Local Exchange.

Protocols

TRILLIUM BROADBAND SOFTWARE

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