For ten years the demand for high speed networks required for the new services has been constantly growing. The development of multimedia applications, the generalization of client-server applications and the increase in work post size have generated the need for a flexible and powerful infrastructure for public and private networks. Today there are networks being developed and set up which go beyond 10 Gbits/s.
This module covers new classes of applications, their needs and their constraints and refers to the new technologies required for the setting up of high speed networks. (Some, such as ATM are mature, others are still in total mutation like the IP studied in modules RES 201 and RES 302).
There is also an effort to present a complete vision of high speed networks via the approach of multiservice networks with a core network which may be accessed by all existing technologies.
In fact the subject of high speed networks goes far beyond the simple assembling of a number of transmission and switching technologies. The convergence of services coupled with an offer of service models requires a tailored "command plan" and a separation of the "network plan" from the "services plan".
