which protocol will dominate carrier data networks by 2010?

摘要

Several months ago, visitors to Lightwave Online were greeted with the following question: "Which protocol will dominate carrier data networks in 2010: IP, Ethernet, ATM, frame relay, or something else entirely?" Our online pundits clearly favored the first two alternatives. However, when we asked a few industry experts the same question, most found it too simple to take into account the key variables that will determine protocol choice among applications. Geographic location within the network (metro, core, or access), which layer of the protocol stack is under discussion, and the soapbox from which the opinion is being delivered all can color the answer to this question. The current economic malaise also makes it difficult to predict what will happen next year, let alone seven years from now.