Multicast and multiprotocol support for ATM based Internets

Abstract

Both the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and ATM Forum are addressing the issue of building higher layer networks using ATM. The IETF's focus is on IP, while the ATM Forum has expanded its vision to include all common Network layer protocols. The task faced by both organizations is to develop solutions that will cause minimal interoperability problems, both for users and network architects. This paper focuses on the solutions coming out of the IETF's IP over ATM working group, including the author's proposal for flexible, high performance IP multicast over ATM. The emerging Next Hop Resolution Protocol from the IETF's Routing Over Large Cloud group is briefly examined, and its possible conflict with the ATM Forum's Multiprotocol Over ATM'work is also discussed. The author finishes by noting how current IETF work could support 'multiprotocol' networks.