Deploying ATM in a data network: an analysis of SVC requirements

Past and current campus data networks generally utilize connectionless network layer protocols like IP. Future networks are expected to use ATM which provides a connection-oriented service. New ATM switches are coming to market with baseline parameters such as the number of concurrent SVCs supported and the number of call setups possible per second. These parameters will determine the usefulness of this equipment in large campus networks for current applications and topologies. We present an analysis of the effect of these parameters on the ability of a circuit-based network to support the networking requirements of a college campus. We performed this analysis using IP traffic logs from three distinct networks within our campus. We consider four different ATM deployment scenarios and two circuit replacement algorithms. From our analysis we derive expected requirements for SVC setup rates and hold times necessary to support the measured traffic.