ALSO CALLED: Asynchronous Transfer Mode Networks, ATM Services, ATM Carrier Services, and ATM DEFINITION: ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) is a dedicated-connection switching technology that organizes digital data into 53-bytecell units and transmits them over a physical medium using digital signal technology. Individually, a cell is processed asynchronously relative
Definition continues below.
ATM NETWORKS DEFINITION (continued): to other related cells and is queued before being multiplexed over the transmission path.
Because ATM is designed to be easily implemented by hardware (rather than software), faster processing and switch speeds are possible. The prespecified bit rates are either 155.520 Mbps or 622.080 Mbps. Speeds on ATM networks can reach 10 Gbps. Along with Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) and several other technologies, ATM is a key component ATM Networks definition sponsored by SearchNetworking.com, powered by WhatIs.com an online computer dictionary
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