Exploring B-ISDN performance: Selected experiments and results

David J. Atkinson

Abstract: This report describes experiments conducted to explore the user-information transfer performance of the broadband integrated services digital network (B-ISDN), the emerging infrastructure for the global information age. These performance experiments include studying the effect of physical layer transmission performance on asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cell transfer performance, ATM performance in relationship to network topology, and the impact of B-ISDN performance on video quality. A tool to help study these performance issues, a B-ISDN network emulator, is described, including its validation. The emulator incorporates a novel model for transmission impairments, enabling performance interactions among the B-ISDN protocol layers to be studied based on relevant International Telecommunication Union – Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) Recommendations and American National Standards.

Keywords: Broadband; performance; standards; network; measurement; asynchronous transfer mode; ATM; B-ISDN; emulation; SONET; synchronous optical network

(ntia329.pdf)

Disclaimer: Certain commercial equipment, components, and software may be identified in this report to specify adequately the technical aspects of the reported results. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, nor does it imply that the equipment or software identified is necessarily the best available for the particular application or uses.

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