An IP transport and routing architecture for next-generation satellite networks

Over the post several years, a number of new satellite systems have been pr oposed to provide high-speed Internet and multimedia services to businesses and home users. These proposals have been driven by the desire of network operators to reach end users that do not have cost effective access to othe r alternatives such as Fiber, DSL, and cable, and by the availability of ne w spectrum (Ka-band) For use by new satellite services. The proposed system s generally employ multiple high-power spot beams, an onboard fast packet s witch, and a demand-assigned multiple access scheme to provision IF-based s ervices. In this article we concentrate on a geosynchronous satellite syste m where packet transport and switching within the satellite system are base d on ATM. We describe an IP/ATM interworking and IP routing architecture th at is driven by three main requirements: (1) the ability to support ATM SVC s between hundreds of thousands of satellite terminals by a single ATM swit ch located onboard; (2) a scalable IP routing architecture that does not re sult in large volumes of routing traffic to be transported over the satelli te; and (3) the ability to segment the satellite terminals For routing and administrative control by ISPs and enterprise networks.