IP switching for scalable IP services

Internet protocol (IP) switching is emerging as a critical technology for improving the speed and scalability of the Internet. This paper discusses IP Navigator, a form of IP switching developed specifically for use in core network backbones, such as Internet service provider networks and major corporate backbones. IP Navigator combines the high speed and quality of service capabilities of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) with the scalability and flexibility of IP. This paper presents an overview of the techniques that have been developed for operating IP over ATM. We outline the IP Navigator design and compare IP Navigator with other IP switching approaches.