A current Bellcore view of SONET ATM VP rings

Abstract

This paper reviews the generic requirements and plans for SONET ATM VP rings. It provides a perspective on where SONET ATM VP ring technology is and the issues facing this technology. This view is based on requirements work done at Bellcore and interaction with industry on supporting the ATM VP ring concept. SONET ring equipment with ATM VP functionality is expected to process and add-drop ATM cells at the ATM VP layer. The goal of this architecture is to gain an improved SONET transport efficiency for ATM cell traffic. This paper shows why ATM VP functionality in SONET rings is an attractive network transport technology.