An architecture for internetworking integrated services LANs

The introduction of ATM technology in the customer premises is being propelled by the need for a seamless interconnection between end subnetworks. Furthermore, integrated services over the end LANs in the customer premises are envisaged to gain momentum with the advent of efficient data compression techniques and high performance computers. In this paper, we first propose a distributed communications network architecture based on an ATM switch fabric for internetworking IEEE 802.3 and 802.5 LANs carrying integrated voice and data services. In the second section of this paper, performance analysis of the integrated services LANs, which form the end subnetworks in the architecture, is carried out. The principal objectives of this performance analysis are to determine the magnitude of the mean frame transfer delay contributed by the LANs as well as to confirm that a satisfactory number of Integrated Voice and Data Stations (IVDSs) could be supported on the LAN subnetworks. The performance evaluation of the IEEE 802.3 and 802.5 LANs for the transfer of asynchronous data is validated by extensive stochastic simulations. Simulation results obtained for the transfer of isochronous data on the IEEE 802.5 LAN are also presented.