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7.2. ATM and IP Routing
Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switched networks are popular for backbones
and long-haul high-speed network links. ATM is a very big topic, most of which is
out of the scope of this guide. Sometimes, the boundary between switched ATM and
routed IP will be a switch or router with one or more ATM interfaces and one or
more traditional LAN or WAN interfaces (e.g. Ethernet, Frame Relay).
Cisco routers support three mechanisms for sending IP traffic over ATM switched
networks.
1. Classical IP
This is the oldest technique, and offers very simple configuration at the
cost of flexibility and performance.
2. LANE
LAN Emulation (LANE) is a fairly general, standardized technique for
extending an IP LAN over an ATM switched network. It offers a great
deal of flexibility, but requires a great deal of configuration to deploy.
3. MPOA
Multi-Protocol Over ATM (MPOA) is a highly flexible set of
mechanisms for transporting IP and other protocols over ATM switched
networks. Used with LANE, MPOA allows routers and other network
devices to take advantages of advanced ATM facilities (like ATM
quality-of-service).
The security implications of choosing one of these modes over another are not yet
entirely clear.