Chapter 4: IP Switching

Chapter 4: IP Switching

Overview

In this chapter we examine the label switching approach proposed by Ipsilon known as IP Switching. An individual device that implements the IP Switching architecture is, of course, an IP Switch. As noted previously, we use these terms specifically to describe the Ipsilon approach, even though they are sometimes used generically elsewhere.

IP Switching is similar in many respects to the Toshiba Cell Switching Router approach. The similarities include the use of data traffic to drive label establishment and the granularity of flows to which labels are bound. However, there are some significant differences, as we will see below. IP Switching differs from all other label switching approaches in its having been implemented in a real commercial product well in advance of the writing of this book.

One of the significant innovations of the Ipsilon approach was to define not only a label distribution protocol (which all the approaches do) but also a switch management protocol. This protocol, known as GSMP (general switch management protocol), allows an ATM switch to be controlled by an ?IP Switch controller? and thus turned into an IP Switch. This protocol took the separation of control and forwarding, discussed in Section 2.1 , to its logical conclusion: it enables control and forwarding to reside in separate physical boxes connected by a link, over which GSMP runs.

GSMP provides a range of technical, business, and economic benefits. In particular, at the time that Ipsilon was founded, ATM switches with capacities of...

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Switching in IP Networks: IP Switching, Tag Switching, & Related Technologies

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Chapter 4: IP Switching

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