ABR Technology Overview and Testing Challenges Application Note 
Size: 1615 KB
Date: April 2000

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ATM was designed to handle a variety of services and applications such as video, voice, and data. Each of these applications has specific requirements for effective transfer across an ATM network. Based on this, it is vital that ATM traffic is controlled and managed so that quality of service guarantees can be made to each user.

To simplify the process and segment the various applications, a number of service classes were developed to handle various traffic classes differently based on their specific needs. By doing this effectively, network congestion can be minimized and network utilization maximized, therefore increasing the efficiency of the network and subsequently reducing the cost of service delivery.

This application note focuses specifically on the testing challenges for ATM switches capable of supporting ABR services. The challenges outlined in this note are applicable for companies designing and manufacturing ATM switches and service providers responsible for verifying conforming ABR devices prior to installation and deployment.