ASYNCHRONOUS TRANSFER MODE

Communications Systems Glossary

Communications Systems — Switching — Asynchronous Transfer Mode

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Information on Asynchronous Transfer Mode

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a cell-switching and multiplexing technology designed to combine the benefits of circuit switching (constant transmission delay and guaranteed capacity) with those of packet switching (flexibility and efficiency for intermittent traffic) through the use of small, fixed-length cells (53 bytes). For wide area networking, Asynchronous Transfer Mode is currently being standardised for use in Broadband Integrated Services Digital Networks (BISDN) by the ITU and ANSI. Unlike X.25, Asynchronous Transfer Mode does not provide error control and flow control mechanisms.


Other topics in our resources on Communications Systems related to Asynchronous Transfer Mode include: 
 
  • ATM adaptation layer (AAL)
  • Broadband integrated services digital network (BISDN)
  • Cell relay
  • Cell
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  • Virtual circuit (VC)
  • Available Bit Rate (ABR)
  • Message switching
  • Circuit switching
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  • Unconstrained Bit Rate (UBR)
  • Packet switching
  • Constant Bit Rate (CBR)
  • Variable Bit Rate (VBR)

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