Supported Platforms
Inverse Multiplexing for ATM (IMA) Overview
Inverse multiplexing for ATM is a technique of transporting ATM traffic over a bundle of T1 or E1 interfaces. Inverse multiplexing is the opposite of multiplexing. Multiplexing is a technique of combining multiple signals into a single signal. Inverse multiplexing is a technique that divides a data stream into multiple concurrent streams that are transmitted at the same time across separate channels (such as T1 or E1 interfaces) and then reconstructed at the other end back into the original data stream. Inverse multiplexing is used to speed up the flow of data across a slower interface, such as a T1 or E1 interface, by load balancing the data stream across multiple T1 or E1 interfaces, increasing the line capacity.
With ATM inverse multiplexing, an ATM cell stream is transported over a bundle of T1 or E1 interfaces called an IMA group. The ATM cells are inverse multiplexed and demultiplexed cyclically across the IMA group to create a higher-bandwidth logical link whose rate is approximately the sum of all the interfaces in the group.
