High-Capacity Local and Metropolitan Area Networks: Architecture and Performance Issues

The state of the art and the latest advances in high-speed Local and Metropolitan Area Networks (LAN/ MAN) are reviewed and discussed in the workshop papers presented in this volume originating from a NATO Advanced Research Workshop. The first generation LANs had throughputs of 1-20 Mbit/sec. The second generation allowed throughputs of 100-200 Mbit/sec. The third generation will have throughputs of 1-10 Gbit/sec. The possibility of all-optical networks in the future is being examined. Using such a high-speed network it will be feasible to distribute high-quality video to the home, to carry out rapid retrieval of radiological and other scientific images, and to enable multi-media conferencing between various parties. Despite the complexity of the field, this book attempts to cover all the aspects in order to give as complete and accurate a picture as possible.

The main objective of this workshop was to review and discuss the state of the art and the latest advances- in the area of 1-10 Gbit/s throughput for local and metropolitan area networks. The first generation of local area networks had throughputs in the range 1-20 Mbit/s. Well-known examples of this first generation networks are the Ethernet and the Token Ring. The second generation of networks allowed throughputs in the range 100-200 Mbit/s. Representatives of this generation are the FDDI double ring and the DQDB (IEEE 802.6) networks. The third generation networks will have throughputs in the range 1-10 Gbit/s. The rapid development and deployment of fiber optics worldwide, as well as the projected emergence of a market for broadband services, have given rise to the development of broadband ISDN standards. Currently, the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) appears to be a viable solution to broadband networks. The possibility of all-optical networks in the future is being examined. This would allow the tapping of approximately 50 terahertz or so available in the lightwave range of the frequency spectrum. It is envisaged that using such a high-speed network it will be feasible to distribute high-quality video to the home, to carry out rapid retrieval of radiological and other scientific images, and to enable multi-media conferencing between various parties.

This proceedings volume of a NATO Advanced Research Workshop reviews and discusses the state of the art and the latest advances in high-speed Local and Metropolitan Area Networks (LAN/MAN) with a throughput of 1-10 Gbit/sec.

Contents: Architecture of High-Speed LANs and MANs.- The Medium Access Control.- First Experiences in High-Speed LANs.- Metropolitan Area Networks.- DQDB.- Performance of ATM Techniques.- New Trends in High-Speed Communications.- Performance Issues.- Gateways.- Control in High-Speed Networks.