[net.research] ISDN-LAN Gateway Development

wiley@dcl-cs.UUCP (Anthony John Wiley) (06/20/85)

I am developing a gateway to connect a LAN (Ethernet) to an ISDN.
I therefore would like to receive any information concerning past or
present work in this area.

Thanks in advance,
Tony Wiley.
-- 
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DARPA: wiley%lancs.comp@ucl-cs	| Post: University of Lancaster,
JANET: wiley@uk.ac.lancs.comp	|	Department of Computing,
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taylor@ecsvax.UUCP (Steven Taylor) (06/21/85)

Does ISDN have a defined protocol?  The gateway protocol is what is 
needed for a gateway, and, to my knowledge, this protocol is not defined
for ISDN.  Instead, i think that ISDN is intended as a TRANSPORT
mechanism for passing bits.

I welcome anyone who knows the answer to correct me on this.  I asked
this question at a seminar yesterday which had as speakers, among others,
Dixon Doll.  Nobody there could clarify this.

As a related comment though, it seems that X.25 seems to be emerging as the
defacto gatewat protocol.  The real question, therefore, seems to be
how ISDN will interact with x.25 (level 3).

Steven Taylor
Distributed Networking Associates
119 Doncaster Lane
Charlottesville, VA  22901
(804) 979-0656

smk@python.UUCP (S.Kuzyszyn) (06/24/85)

ISDN as defined for Basic and Primary access
allows for two general types of connections:
B-channel and D-channel connections.
The B channel is a circuit switched channel
that supports a 64 kb clear channel.
This could be used for packet data between two packet switches
(gateway style).
In this case any protocol
will do (since it is just a bit pipe,
but obviously the protocols should be compatible
at both ends of the pipe).

The other type, a D-channel connection,
supports packet data over
a 16 kb (basic access), or 64 kb (primary access) channel.
Because this D-channle is 
also used for signaling messages
(e.g. for setting up B-channel connections)
the entire capacity is not available for packet data
(in fact, a priority scheme can give
preference
to the signaling messages on the D-channel).

To get to the point, the D-channel will support 
X.25 connections at level 3
and so can be used a gateway.