Abstract
Computational and storage “power” is increasing at alarmingly well documented rates. As everything that's connected to data transmission network becomes more capable so must data networks.
To truly unleash the genie stored in these “power” increases, information (data) must flow more rapidly into and out of these devices. Channel and backplane speeds commensurate with these increasing computational and storage “powers” are beginning to appear. The data transfer equation is then balanced only if network speeds follow suit.
Our focus in this paper is to concentrate on LAN/WAN networks currently within reach that attempt to “follow suit”, concentrating specifically on FDDI- and HIPPI-based LAN networks, new WAN offerings, and concluding with speculations on next generation high speed networking capabilities. Along the way we enumerate certain observations relevant to the acquisition and use of extended high-speed networks.
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