The LANE Protocol Architecture
The basic function of the LANE protocol is to resolve MAC addresses to ATM addresses. The goal is to resolve such address mappings so that LANE end systems can set up direct connections between themselves and then forward data. The LANE protocol is deployed in two types of ATM-attached equipment: ATM network interface cards (NICs) and internetworking and LAN switching equipment.
ATM NICs implement the LANE protocol and interface to the ATM network but present the current LAN service interface to the higher-level protocol drivers within the attached end system. The network layer protocols on the end system continue to communicate as if they were on a known LAN by using known procedures. However, they are capable of using the vastly greater bandwidth of ATM networks.
The second class of network gear to implement LANE consists of ATM-attached LAN switches and routers. These devices, together with directly attached ATM hosts equipped with ATM NICs, are user! eo provide a virtual LAN (VLAN) uervice in which ports on the LAN switches are assigned to particu lar VLANs independently of physical location. Figure 31-12 shows the LANE protocol architecture implemented in ATM network devices.
Continue reading here: LANE Components
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