The evolving art of packet switching

Rapid developments in computer and information technology continue to expose new requirements for switched data services, e.g. teletext, electronic funds transfer, electronic mail. The features of packet switching make it attractive for many of these new services, and many countries, including the UK, now operate or plan to introduce public packet-switched data networks. But packet switching is a relatively new art, particularly in the realm of public-switched networks, and is itself developing rapidly, driven both by the increasing demand for switched data services and by advances in semiconductor technology. It tends therefore to be the preserve of a relatively small band of specialists. This paper reviews the principles, origins and evolution of packet switching, with particular reference to public-switched networks. The picture emerges of well laid foundations and the prospect of rapid expansion in public packet-switched networks throughout the world. The development of large switches, such as those being developed at BTRL, will play an important part in this.     

Unified approaches to integrated-service networks–burst and fast packet switching

The increasing demand for communication services, coupled with recent technological advances in communication media and switching techniques, has resulted in a proliferation of new and expanded services. Currently, networks are needed which can transmit voice, data and video services in an application-independent fashion. Unified approaches employ a single switching technique across the entire network bandwidth, thus allowing services to be switched in an application-independent manner. This paper presents a taxonomy of integrated-service networks, including a look at NISDN, while focusing on unified approaches to integrated-service networks. The two most promising unified approaches are burst and fast packet switching. Burst switching is a circuit switching-based approach which allocates channel bandwidth to a connection only during the transmission of ‘bursts’ of information. Fast packet switching is a packet switching-based approach which can be characterized by very high transmission rates on network links and simple, hard-wired protocols which match the rapid channel speed of the network. Both approaches are being proposed as possible implementations for integrated-service networks. We survey these two approaches, and also examine the key performance issues found in fast packet switching. We then present the results of a simulation study of a fast packet switching network.     

光纤通信网技术的发展

本文综述公用通信网和专用通信网利用光纤传输的发展趋向。公用通信网将向数字化、综合化、宽带化、和智能化发展,最终成为B-ISDN。为此,通信网将从铜线过渡至光纤,从窄带过渡至宽带,从异步过渡至同步,从电路交换过渡至分组交换。全国传输网将是同步光纤网(Sonet),最后必然是“光纤到家”,从用户至用户的全程传输是光纤。另一方面,大企业、大机关急于实现自动化,各自建设专用的光纤局部区域网(LAN),从计算机通信进至综合业务。很可能专用ISDN比公用ISDN更早出现。住宅区需要通过光纤选收电视(CATV)。未来的公用市内用户网和专用局域网,将为光纤产业开辟最大市场。     

La commutation de paquets dans le RNIS: de (l’experimentation à I’intégration dans les systèmes*

Integrated service digital networks concepts are currently well established and a number of administrations or network operators are expecting to offer some isdn services soon on a commercial basis: most of these services currently under consideration are based on 64 kbit/s circuit switched bearer capabilities which are inherent to the integrated digital networks from which the isdns are emerging. However network evolution strategies are still under elaboration for the integration of packet switching capabilities. This paper focusses on the steps that, in the view of the French PTT Administration, are necessary to allow a smooth integration of packet switching features in the isdn while preserving a valuable coexistence with existing and well established public switched packet data networks, such as the Transpac network in France. Whilst the commercial opening of the circuit switched based isdn services is planned by 1988, following the Renan pilot, the PTT research center is carrying out the evaluation of the packet feature integration strategy in the isdn, with the Cérame experiment presented here after. Finally the Alcatel developments in relation to the support of isdn packet switched services are presented together with indications on systems impacts.     

Experimental Facsimile Communication System on Packet Switched Data Network

The use of the public data network for facsimile communication has remarkable advantages with regard to high speed and reliable transmission and, in addition, it is well applicable to provide value added facilities for future service extension. The Research and Development Laboratories of Kokusai Denshin Denwa (KDD) Company, Ltd. have developed an experimental facsimile communication system on the packet switched data network (PSDN). The system is composed of packet switching exchanges (PSE), high speed digital facsimile terminal equipment, a facsimile communication processor (FCP), and facsimile packet assembly/ disassembly equipment (FAX-PAD). The facsimile equipment in the system adopts a two-dimensional modified READ code and has the interface protocol to the PSDN. The FCP provides the store-and-forward facilities to provide such services as delayed delivery, multiaddress delivery, and mailbox service. The FAX-PAD realizes the interworking between facsimile equipments on the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and those on PSDN. After various experiments including international field tests, it was confirmed that the system is useful for future advanced facsimile service.     

ATM-based transport architecture for multiservices wirelesspersonal communication networks

This paper presents an ATM-based transport architecture for next-generation multiservices personal communication networks (PCN). Such “multimedia capable” integrated services wireless networks are motivated by an anticipated demand for wireless extensions to future broadband networks. An ATM compatible wireless network concept capable of supporting a mix of broadband ISDN services including constant bit-rate (CBR), variable bit-rate (VBR), and packet data transport is explored from an architectural viewpoint. The proposed system uses a hierarchical ATM switching network for interconnection of PCN microcells, each of which is serviced by high-speed, shared-access radio links based on ATM-compatible cell, relay principles. Design issues related to the physical (modulation), media access control (MAC), and data-link layers of the ATM-based radio link are discussed, and preliminary technical approaches are identified in each case. An example multiservice dynamic reservation (MDR) TDMA media access protocol is then considered in further detail, and simulation results are presented for an example voice/data scenario with a proportion of time-critical (i.e., multimedia) packet data. Time-of-expiry (TOE) based queue service disciplines are also investigated as a mechanism for improving the quality-of-service (QoS) in this scenario     

中国公用分组交换数据网建设和应用

本文从我国公用分组交换数据网的现状、存在的问题和新建骨干网的计划及提供的业务、用户进网的接口规程、网间互通等方面，介绍我国公用分组交换数据网的建设和发展前景。     

High-Speed Packet Switching Systems for Multimedia Communications

High-speed packet switching (HPS) systems can Provide flexible, economical, high-quaiity services for integrated voice, video, and data communications. To realize such HPS systems, methods have been developed to bring about high-speed protocol processing as well as a system architecture for facilitating high-throughput switching. Adopting the parallel processing algorithm into protocol processing allows us to achieve high-speed packet protocol processing of about 100 times faster than conventional processing. Furthermore, a fully distributed system architecture in addition to hierarchical interconnection networks can achieve high-capacity packet switching systems. The proposed HPS system is thus capable of accommodating lines of up to 10-50 Mbits/s, of providing high-throughput switching capability of 1 000 000 packets/s, and of having an average delay of less than 2 ms. Furthermore, an evaluation of network delay performances of video conferencing and voice communications indicate that HPS systems are quite suitable for handling such multimedia communications.     

Services and supporting architecture of the ESA OBP system

The ESA on-board processing (OBP) satellite system using on-board regeneration and baseband circuit switching has been designed to provide ISDN connectivity and services to users on a Pan-European basis. It is thus seen at its periphery as a 2 Mb/s primary rate access, hence allowing for the interconnection of equipment and terminals compatible with this standard interface. Among the various possible network architectures that the system could support, the business-oriented closed networks look most promising. It has therefore been retained as a prime design driver for OBP system developments. Optionally, connectivity can be offered in an optimized manner to pure data networks, e.g. for LAN-to-LAN interconnection at rates up to 1 Mb/s. In the paper, communication services and networking capabilities offered by the system are briefly reviewed. The internal characteristics of the satellite system allowing for such capabilities are then reviewed and the corresponding performance outlined. The system is shown to be compatible with critical CCITT performance criteria.     

Can communications and sensors work together in one network?

With the development of both optical fiber-based communication and sensation, one interesting topic has been pointed out. How to connect those mountains of sensors to detect the signal in a large area, and how to make the cost of sensing system lower enough should be studied. A network of sensors is a good option. All sensing equipments, including the interrogators and the sensors, will be internetworking together. However, fiber optic communication networks have been developed very well over the past two decades. Is it necessary to rebuild a new network for sensors? In this paper, some new technologies in the two areas of fiber optic sensors and fiber optic communication will be addressed. Then, the available overlay architecture of a fiber optic sensors network will be presented. Finally, a polymorphous optical burst switching (POBS)-based architecture will be proposed, which can support all kinds of services, including digital data optical circuit/burst/packet switching and analog fiber optic sensor signal circuit/burst switching, etc.     

Buffered or unbuffered: a case study based onlogd(N,e,p) networks

Two implementation styles (buffered and unbuffered) have been used for constructing multistage interconnection networks for ATM switching. Conventional studies have shown that an unbuffered network, while having a simpler design, produces a lower throughput than a buffered network. But most of these studies, based on the assumption that each cell is routed independently (i.e. per-cell routing), ignored the out-of-sequence transmission problem of a buffered network in a virtual-channel environment. One way to keep the packet sequence for a buffered network without adding additional hardware is to fix the path for each virtual channel. We compute the throughput of this approach in designing nonblocking networks and compare it with that of the unbuffered approach. The base of our comparison is log_d(N,e,p) networks. The results show that a fixed-path-routing buffered network will have a throughput even lower than that of an unbuffered network     

Interworking Solutions for a Two-Level Integrated Services Local Area Network

A new generation of integrated services local networks (ISLN's) is needed to yield to local area users the provision of voice, data, and images in a cost-effective manner. Besides high-speed and service integration features, these advanced multiservice communication systems have to also provide powerful interconnection with both public networks and traditional LAN's. So conception and design of the interconnection units, i.e., gateways and bridges, have to be carried out contextually with the network architecture definition. The paper addresses the interworking solutions adopted for a local integrated optical network (LION) currently under development. The architecture of bridges and gateways allowing users belonging to different LION subnetworks to communicate with public networks and commercial systems is also described. In particular, the interconnection with the integrated services digital network (ISDN) is highlighted.     

MSTP的应用与发展

多业务传送平台(MSTP)和数据设备的关系是联合组网、长期并存的关系,运营商的运维体制必须改革,不能仍将传输设备和数据设备截然分开进行建设;互连互通涉及到业务层、封装层、数据处理层、SDH承载层、SDH线路侧,运营商应重点关注;MSTP的进一步发展是加载自动交换光网络(ASON)控制平面,但要注意在支持数据业务的情况下,传送平面和控制平面在带宽调整方面的协调性;MSTP将来可能有两种转向:逐步退出传送网络的核心层或演化成为事实上的以分组交换为核心的承载网设备.     

Supporting packet-data QoS in next generation cellular networks

In the past few years, the Internet has grown beyond anyone's reasonable imagination into a universal communication platform. At the same time the cellular networks, with their ability to reach a person “anywhere, anytime,” have grown impressively as well. Thus the combination of mobile networks and the Internet into the so called “mobile Internet” promises to be an important technology area. The indications are clear: the cellular networks are rapidly adopting suitable network models for supporting packet data services. A key component of this packet data service model is quality of service (QoS), which is crucial for supporting disparate services envisioned in the future cellular networks. We describe the packet data QoS architecture and specific mechanisms that are being defined for multi-service QoS provisioning in the Universal Mobile Telecommunication Systems     

Crossbar光交换网络

Crossbar网络是实现高速并行光学处理的一种最重要而有效的光交换网络结构。作为一种无阻塞网络,Crossbar网络具有简单性,易于实现控制,适合于构成光开关矩阵。总结和分析了近20多年来发展的Crossbar光交换网络,介绍了不同Crossbar光交换网络的原理、结构和性能,分析了Crossbar光交换网络的关键技术。目前光学互连网络的发展方向是实现集成大规模光互连。可以预见光学互连网络会朝着更加实用化的方向发展,并在其应用领域发挥越来越重要的作用。     

The evolution of packet switching

Over the past decade data communications has been revolutionized by a radically new technology called packet switching. In 1968 virtually all interactive data communication networks were circuit switched, the same as the telephone network. Circuit switching networks preallocate transmission bandwidth for an entire call or session. However, since interactive data traffic occurs in short bursts 90 percent or more of this bandwidth is wasted. Thus, as digital electronics became inexpensive enough, it became dramatically more cost-effective to completely redesign communications networks, introducing the concept of packet switching where the transmission bandwidth is dynamically allocated, permitting many users to share the same transmission line previously required for one user. Packet switching has been so successful, not only in improving the economics of data communications but in enhancing reliability and functional flexibility as well, that in 1978 virtually all new data networks being built throughout the world are based on packet switching. An open question at this time is how long will it take for voice communications to be revolutionized as well by packet switching technology. In order to better understand both the past and future evolution of this fast moving technology, this paper examines in detail the history and trends of packet switching.     

市内电话网急需适应新形势

本文说明传统市内电话网使用通路交换的现状后 ,强调近年数据通信、Internet陆地移动通信和有线电视广播的急剧发展带来的冲击。建议市话网注意适应信息业务新形势 ,考虑市话网与分组数据网、Internet、蜂窝网和CATV等各种通信网的融合。     

Multistage shuffle networks with shortest path and deflectionrouting for high-performance ATM switching: the closed-loop shuffleout

A new class of switching architectures for broadband packet networks, called shuffleout, is described and analyzed. Shuffleout is basically an output-queued architecture with a multistage interconnection network built out of unbuffered b×2b switching elements. Its structure is such that the number of cells that can be concurrently switched from the inlets to each output queue equals the number of stages in the interconnection network. The switching element operates the cell self-routing adopting a shortest path algorithm which, in case of conflict for interstage links, is coupled with deflection routing. The basic version of this architecture is called open-loop shuffleout. This paper describes the closed-loop shuffleout architecture with 2×4 switching elements in which cells that have crossed the whole interconnection network re-enter the network as long as they are not successfully routed to the addressed switch outlet. This result is accomplished by adding to the basic open-loop structure recirculation paths so that each packet can cross several times the interconnection network. Two different solutions are proposed to implement such functionality, the buffered closed-loop shuffleout and the expanded closed-loop shuffleout architecture. Both these solutions aim at reducing the number of stages in the network, compared to the open-loop structure, so as to reduce the complexity of the switch internal wiring and to simplify the output queue interface     

基于OSU的M-OTN技术创新和应用部署研究

随着SDH和MSTP网络面临退网，OTN将取代SDH/MSTP网络，下沉到网络的边缘节点。同时，客户业务的需求也正在发生快速变化，而分组增强型OTN在其承载业务上存在着各种问题和挑战。提出了基于OSU的城域网优化OTN（M-OTN）技术体系，并结合其技术本质和实验测试数据，全面分析了M-OTN/OSU的技术优势。结果表明，M-OTN/OSU 相较于分组增强型 OTN 技术在多个方面具有明显优势。M-OTN/OSU在现网中如何应用部署以及网络演进，同样备受关注。结合 M-OTN/OSU 的技术特点和现网中已部署设备情况，分享了对于M-OTN/OSU的组网方案，以及网络演进策略的研究。