3Com Corp is making its move into the Asynchronous Transfer Mode market with the launch of a new architecture which it says solves the problems of integrating Asynchronous Transfer Mode with local area networks. The High Performance Scalable Networking architecture consists of three new technologies: Routed-Asynchronous Transfer Mode, CellBuilder and port grouping. The architecture is based around a collapsed backbone and is designed to integrate Asynchronous Transfer Mode with Token Ring, 10Mbps and 100Mbps Ethernet and bridge-per-port or dedicated Ethernet. The collapsed backbone with Routed-Asynchronous Transfer Mode defines networks by function, rather than location, and uses existing cabling, with the router and the hub supporting existing local networks. Routed-Asynchronous Transfer Mode provides internetworking between segments, and between Asynchronous Transfer Mode and existing local networks. 3Com claims that by using address resolution, preserving the identities of segments and providing fire walls between segments, it offers superior bandwidth management. 3Com claims several improvements on standard Asynchronous Transfer Mode. According to Nigel Oakley, UK product marketing manager, broadcast and multicast storms makes Asynchronous Transfer Mode too insecure. You can’t implement a technology that is so insecure, he said. What we’re talking about with Routed-Asynchronous Transfer Mode is marrying the technology of a digital cross-connect switch with a router. According to Oakley, another major advantage of Routed-Asynchronous Transfer Mode is that it can be easily integrated with other local network technologies. What you’ve not heard from the majority of manufacturers is how to scale your networks. It’s not sufficient to have Asynchronous Transfer Mode islands or to turn the whole network into Asynchronous Transfer Mode, he said. The company plans to implement the technology in its NETBuilder II and LinkBuilder MSH in 1995. The next component in the new architecture is CellBuilder, a product based on custom silicon which converts native Ethernet or Token Ring packets into native Asynchronous Transfer Mode cells. This will enable users to connect to the Asynchronous Transfer Mode downlink through LinkBuilder MSH’s high-speed backplane; 3Com says this increases the downlink speed by 10 to 15 times, using existing cabling. CellBuilder modules will be available for LinkBuilder MSH and NETBuilder II next year. Finally, port grouping is to be introduced in NETBuilder II, to support multiple virtual local nets and workgroups. This enables bridging within and routing between port groups, and will be out this year.
