Traffic shaping in an ATM environment

Abstract

Although Traffic Shaping is an optional implementation for users and network operators, it is important when submitting traffic to public ATM networks. Also, shaping may assist the operators in dimensioning the network more cost-effectively. However, today’s ATM end device sources like video codecs, do very little to address this feature and as a result the transmitted ATM cells are either in bursts or well spread out. We take a look at how such end device sources are suitable for traffic shaping at ATM switches. In particular, we look at issues concern ing traffic shaping of audio and video streams on a single physical ATM switch port. A detailed investigation on a FORE Systems™ ATM switch is carried out to conclude why such a scheme may not be possible in our current ATM environment.