IP over ATM versus IP over SONET

SONET/SDH is used as the bearer layer for higher-layer protocols such as ATM or IP/PPP, employed on devices that switch or route traffic to a particular end point. The functions of SONET/SDH in the broadband arena are roughly analogous to those of T1/E1 in the narrowband world. The SONET/SDH standards define the packaging of data within SONET/SDH frames, the encoding of signals on a fiber-optic cable, and the management of the SONET/SDH link.

The advantages of SONET/SDH include the following:

• rapid point-to-point transport of data with little overhead

• standards-based multiplexing of SONET/SDH datastreams

• transport independent from the services and applications that it supports

• self-healing ring structure to reroute traffic around faults within a particular link

Admittedly, replacing routers with something a lot difficult to configure is not a very good thing to do.

Though SONET has got the configuration problem it may be considered that ATM switches are not efficient for WAN. The ATM switches has 80 percent efficiency whereas SONET has 95 percent efficiency. But if cost is factor in network management then configuration is a focal point.

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