The past, present, and future of inverse multiplexing

Inverse multiplexing refers to the process of aggregating channels to allow applications greater freedom in selecting the optimum communication bandwidth and cost. The history of the Bandwidth On Demand Interoperability Group (BONDING) standard and its relationship to current and emerging network architectures are discussed. Applications of bandwidth-on-demand products to videoconferencing, multimedia, and LAN interconnection are described with respect to current and future equipment capabilities. Many data transmission applications require transmission at bit rates higher than those available from carriers. Services are most cost effectively provided if they have characteristics common among many user applications. The present paper describes an increasingly popular solution to this problem given today's expanding switched digital networks. Referred to as "inverse multiplexers" current implementations are providing national and international connectivity for diverse applications involving high-quality videoconferencing, variable-demand LAN interconnections, and low-cost network backup.<<ETX>>