In future multimedia communication networks, the ability to multicast
information will be useful for many new and existing services. This
dissertation considers the design of multicast switches for Asynchronous
Transfer Mode (ATM) networks and proposes one design based upon a slotted
ring. Analysis and simulation studies of this design are presented and
details of its implementation for an experimental ATM network (Project
Fairisle) are described, together with the modifications to the existing
multi-service protocol architecture necessary to provide multicast
connections. Finally, a short study of the problem of multicast routing
is presented, together with some simulations of the long-term effect upon
the routing efficiency of modifying the number of destinations within a
multicast group.
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geocities.com/mattdoar)