Tough question. Currently, ATM is the predominant control protocol in
service provider networks, but that is starting to change. The complexity
of managing IP-over-ATM overlay networks, as well as the loss of efficiency
due to the ATM cell-tax (especially on high-speed links) is causing many
service providers to begin to migrate ATM control planes to MPLS. Using
MPLS, service providers can provision "ATM-like" services, but they can do
it over a variety of layer 2 protocols such as Frame Relay, Ethernet, PPP,
or ATM cells.
If you look at Marconi (formerly FORE), arguably the leader in ATM products,
they are already working on migrating their products to support MPLS.
Another item worth noting, none of the major hardware vendors that I know of
have plans to produce ATM-to-packet interfaces at speeds of OC-48 or above,
effectively killing ATM in the network core. From what I've read, the cost
and complexity of designing the SAR process outweighs any benefit.
I believe that ATM will be around for a long while (heck, X.25 is still
around). I believe that most service providers will begin to migrate data
traffic to MPLS control planes by converting their ATM switches to become
label switch routers. ATM will still be used to provide CBR services for
things like voice and video, with ATM switches handling both ATM and MPLS in
"ships in the night" mode. Over time, and as MPLS-QoS services mature, the
ATM control plane will be fully replaced by MPLS. Once that happens,
service providers can begin to phase out ATM cells at Layer 2, replacing
them with variable length packets over PPP or Ethernet.
Where ATM continues to thrive is in relatively low speed services such as
DSL. Most DSL connections still use ATM framing, and probably will for a
good long while.
So, is a 3 year Masters program in ATM worthwhile? Sure, your friend is
planning on going to work within service provider networks, and he gets some
exposure to MPLS.
Just my .02.
Irwin
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Billy Monroe [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Monday, August 28, 2000 1:51 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: ATM Dead?
>
>
> My friend is taking a 3 year Master program in ATM.
> Do you think that is worthwhile ?
>
>
>
>
> "Kris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> > ATM is hardly a dead technology at this stage in the game.
> Though we're
> > not really seeing it to the desktop and LANE
> implementations aren't the
> > hottest thing, it's an incredible technology in the
> backbone. Providers
> > love it because it allows us to run anything and everything
> over it (from
> > voice to IP, and everything in between) and maintain quality of
> > service. One backbone carrying everything. So ignore ATM
> at your own
> > risk, because it's going to be with us for quite some time.
> >
> > Kris,
> >
> >
> > From: John Neiberger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Subject: ATM Dead? Was: 350-001 examin very tough
> >
> > But is ATM really dead? Sure, not too many people will be
> introducing new
> > implementations of LANE, but it seems to me that ATM over
> the WAN is still
> > fairly common. We will be using some ATM in the near
> future, as a matter
> > of
> > fact. We are implementing alternate backup routes to all
> of our main
> > branches using DSL. Our provider is muxing all DSL lines to an ATM
> > connection back to our HQ. Pretty cool, actually.
> >
> > John
> >
> > > Chuck,
> > >
> > > I think I'll be joining you about the same time
> > > (350-001) . But boy do I hate ATM & Token Ring. So
> > > boring learning this stuff, when in the back of my
> > > mind I consider it dead technology.
> > > The only way I can keep my sanity is by planning to
> > > rip as much of this crap out as I can and replace it
> > > with Giga technology etc before I escape to do
> > > something more interesting.
> > >
> > > Regards, and good luck for the written.
> > >
> > > Keep watching the skies ..............
> > >
> > >
> > > Phil.
> >
> >
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