RFC 1577 (rfc1577) - Page 2 of 17
Classical IP and ARP over ATM
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 1577 Classical IP and ARP over ATM January 1993
1. Conventions
The following language conventions are used in the items of
specification in this document:
o MUST, SHALL, or MANDATORY -- the item is an absolute requirement
of the specification.
o SHOULD or RECOMMEND -- this item should generally be followed for
all but exceptional circumstances.
o MAY or OPTIONAL -- the item is truly optional and may be followed
or ignored according to the needs of the implementor.
2. Introduction
The goal of this specification is to allow compatible and
interoperable implementations for transmitting IP datagrams and ATM
Address Resolution Protocol (ATMARP) requests and replies over ATM
Adaptation Layer 5 (AAL5)[2,6].
Note: this memo defines only the operation of IP and address
resolution over ATM, and is not meant to describe the operation of
ATM networks. Any reference to virtual connections, permanent virtual
connections, or switched virtual connections applies only to virtual
channel connections used to support IP and address resolution over
ATM, and thus are assumed to be using AAL5. This memo places no
restrictions or requirements on virtual connections used for other
purposes.
Initial deployment of ATM provides a LAN segment replacement for:
1) Local area networks (e.g., Ethernets, Token Rings and FDDI).
2) Local-area backbones between existing (non-ATM) LANs.
3) Dedicated circuits or frame relay PVCs between IP routers.
Note: In 1), local IP routers with one or more ATM interfaces will be
able to connect islands of ATM networks. In 3), public or private
ATM Wide Area networks will be used to connect IP routers, which in
turn may or may not connect to local ATM networks. ATM WANs and LANs
may be interconnected.
Private ATM networks (local or wide area) will use the private ATM
address structure specified in the ATM Forum UNI specification [9].
This structure is modeled after the format of an OSI Network Service
Access Point Address. A private ATM address uniquely identifies an
Laubach