About This Manual

This manual describes the DIGITAL UNIX^® Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) subsystem, how to configure the subsystem, and how to use the ATM kernel interfaces. This document does not describe the application programming interface (API) that user-level applications would use to access the ATM subsystem. Also, this manual is not an ATM networking tutorial.

After reading this manual, you should be able to:

Understand the ATM subsystem architecture

Configure the ATM software

Understand how the different kernel interfaces operate

Write a kernel module

Audience

This manual is for experienced UNIX kernel programmers responsible for writing device drivers and kernel modules. These programmers should be familiar with the following:

ATM technology

ATM Forum User-Network Interface (UNI) Version 3.0 specification

C language programming

The secondary audience is system administrators responsible for configuring network software. These system administrators should be familiar with the following:

ATM technology

C language

Programming interfaces for UNIX operating systems

New and Changed Features

This manual has been revised to document all of the Asynchronous Transfer Mode changes that are part of the current release. This includes new information on the types of ATM configurations and step-by-step configuration instructions for setting up Classical IP, LAN Emulation, and IP switching environments.

Organization

This manual is organized into eleven chapters and two appendixes.

Chapter 1	Provides an overview of the DIGITAL UNIX Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) architecture and its kernel interfaces.
Chapter 2	Describes how to configure the ATM software on a DIGITAL UNIX system.
Chapter 3	Describes the ATM header files, generic data structures, macros, and return codes that ATM modules use.
Chapter 4	Describes the ATM device driver interface, its tasks and routines, and associated data structures.
Chapter 5	Describes the ATM signaling module interface, its tasks and routines, and associated data structures.
Chapter 6	Describes the ATM convergence module interface, its tasks and routines, and associated data structures.
Chapter 7	Describes how ATM connections are initiated and terminated, and includes some code fragments that show how these tasks are implemented in software.
Chapter 8	Describes the ATM Module Management Interface (MMI).
Chapter 9	Describes queuing information that kernel module writers require.
Chapter 10	Describes the flow control in the ATM subsystem.
Chapter 11	Describes how to tune the ATM subsystem.
Appendix A	Describes the ATM CMM routines in reference-page format.
Appendix B	Contains programming code fragments that show certain connection-related tasks.

Related Documents

For information about DIGITAL UNIX device driver programming, refer to the following manuals that are part of the Device Driver Documentation kit:

Writing Device Drivers: Tutorial

Writing Device Drivers: Advanced Topics

Writing Device Drivers: Reference

Writing Network Device Drivers

Writing TURBOchannel Device Drivers

Writing EISA and ISA Bus Device Drivers

Writing VMEbus Device Drivers

Writing PCI Bus Device Drivers

Writing Device Drivers for the SCSI/CAM Architecture Interfaces

For additional information about ATM, refer to the ATM User-Network Interface Specification, Version 3.0 ISBN 0-13-225863-3 and the ATM User-Network Interface Specification, Version 3.1 ISBN 0-13-393828-X, both published by Prentice-Hall.

For information on installing the DGLTA ATM adapter and its device driver, see the ATMworks 350 Adapter Installation and Service guide.

For information about administering networking interfaces, refer to the System Administration guide and the Network Administration guide.

The printed version of the DIGITAL UNIX documentation set is color coded to help specific audiences quickly find the books that meet their needs. (You can order the printed documentation from DIGITAL.) This color coding is reinforced with the use of an icon on the spines of books. The following list describes this convention:

Audience	Icon	Color Code
General users	G	Blue
System and network administrators	S	Red
Programmers	P	Purple
Device driver writers	D	Orange
Reference page users	R	Green

Some books in the documentation set help meet the needs of several audiences. For example, the information in some system books is also used by programmers. Keep this in mind when searching for information on specific topics.

The Documentation Overview, Glossary, and Master Index provides information on all of the books in the DIGITAL UNIX documentation set.

Reader's Comments

DIGITAL welcomes any comments and suggestions you have on this and other DIGITAL UNIX manuals.

You can send your comments in the following ways:

Fax: 603-884-0120 Attn: UBPG Publications, ZKO3-3/Y32

Internet electronic mail: readers_comment@zk3.dec.com
A Reader's Comment form is located on your system in the following location:
```
/usr/doc/readers_comment.txt
```

Mail:
Digital Equipment Corporation
UBPG Publications Manager
ZKO3-3/Y32
110 Spit Brook Road
Nashua, NH 03062-9987

A Reader's Comment form is located in the back of each printed manual. The form is postage paid if you mail it in the United States.

Please include the following information along with your comments:

The full title of the book and the order number. (The order number is printed on the title page of this book and on its back cover.)

The section numbers and page numbers of the information on which you are commenting.

The version of DIGITAL UNIX that you are using.

If known, the type of processor that is running the DIGITAL UNIX software.

The DIGITAL UNIX Publications group cannot respond to system problems or technical support inquiries. Please address technical questions to your local system vendor or to the appropriate DIGITAL technical support office. Information provided with the software media explains how to send problem reports to DIGITAL.

Conventions

This document uses the following typographic conventions:

% $: A percent sign represents the C shell system prompt. A dollar sign represents the system prompt for the Bourne, Korn, and POSIX shells.
#: A number sign represents the superuser prompt.
% cat: Boldface type in interactive examples indicates typed user input.
file: Italic (slanted) type indicates variable values, placeholders, and function argument names.
[ | ] { | }: In syntax definitions, brackets indicate items that are optional and braces indicate items that are required. Vertical bars separating items inside brackets or braces indicate that you choose one item from among those listed.
colored text: In syntax definitions, literal elements are colored green. Variable values, placeholders, and function argument names are colored red. No special colored text is used outside of syntax descriptions.
. . .: In syntax definitions, a horizontal ellipsis indicates that the preceding item can be repeated one or more times.
cat(1): A cross-reference to a reference page includes the appropriate section number in parentheses. For example, cat(1) indicates that you can find information on the cat command in Section 1 of the reference pages.
[Return]: In an example, a key name enclosed in a box indicates that you press that key.
[Ctrl/x]: This symbol indicates that you hold down the first named key while pressing the key or mouse button that follows the slash. In examples, this key combination is enclosed in a box (for example, [Ctrl/C] ).