ATM Best practices

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Best practices

  • Use the default emulated LAN (ELAN).

    On computers running Windows Server 2003 operating systems, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) services are configured with a default unspecified_ELAN_name group name. If you plan to implement LAN emulation (LANE), it is recommended that you use the preconfigured, default unspecified ELAN group name.

    When you purchase an ATM switch, check the product specifications to ensure that it is preconfigured with the default, unspecified ELAN group name.

  • Use supported ATM adapters.

    Before you buy an ATM adapter, confirm that it is designed for Windows ATM. For more information about compatible hardware, see Support resources.

  • Note configuration parameters before you upgrade from Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003 operating systems.

    Before upgrading from Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000, note the following configuration information for each of the LAN emulation clients you plan to upgrade.

    • The ELAN name

    • The media type to be emulated on the LAN

    • ATM addresses for the LAN emulation server (LES) and broadcast and unknown server (BUS) associated with the ELAN

    • The maximum allowable packet size for the ELAN

    After you note these configuration parameters, use the LAN emulation configuration server (LECS) interface on your ATM switch to configure ELANs and their associated parameters, as listed and noted above.

    Next, install the Server software and configure the ELAN name for each LAN emulation client (LEC). For information about configuring the ELAN name, see Configure a LAN emulation client.

  • Use only one ATM ARP/MARS per virtual LAN.

    If your network uses IP/ATM, it is recommended that you configure only one ATM ARP/MARS for each virtual local area network (VLAN) on your network. If you have multiple ARP servers on the same network segment, and your ARP client is configured with the addresses for these servers, the ARP caches could become out of synch. This can render parts of the network unreachable.