The NNI Interface Model of the ATM-Based Information Infra-Network of Korea

국내 ATM 기반 초고속정보통신망의 NNI 적용 모델 연구

ATM networks are widely deployed as the network that is capable of supporting multimedia services efficiently now. To date, a large portion of ATM connections, particularly in the WAN environment, have been of a permanent virtual circuits-requiring management intervention for set-up and tear-down. However, switched virtual circuits are required to support a range of desired characteristics on demand, to a reachable end user. To establish, maintain and release on-demand call/connections, the user-network interface(UNI) and node-node interface(NNI) signalling capabilities are required. Two protocols have been specified for NNI signalling within a public network: the broadband integrated-services user part(B-ISUP) protocol specified by the ITU-T, and the private network-network interface(PNNI) protocol specified by the ATM Forum. PNNI offers different type of internetwork or internodal interface from the traditional B-ISUP approach favored to date public network operators. In spite of its name, PNNI may find its place in network service provide networks as well as in private networks. Thus many public network operators and ATM equipment manufacturers are still unable to choose the NNI interface architecture of their system. In this paper, we survey the characteristics of the B-ISUP and PNNI protocols, and investigate the applicability issue of these specifications to the ATM-based Information Infra-Network of Korea. Analyzing the characteristics of the two protocols and clarifying the NNi requirements of the ATM-based Information Infra-Network of Korea, we propose that the B-ISUP protocol is more suitable than PNNI.