wasting bandwidth on the backbone. This results in switching makes high performance, bursty frame relay connections lower delay and higher network performance. Because the affordable because bandwidth does not have to be dedicated to those Frame Relay interface provides full interconnectivity, every connections (as would be the case using a time division multiplex- device is directly connected to every other device. This elimi- ing backbone) nates delay caused by routing traffic through intermediary (end system) nodes, such as LAN routers or front end processors. 55.2.2 Benefits Available with Frame Relay LAN/WAN integration is by far the most popular application for Cell Relay Frame Relay services, although LAN to Host and still-image trans- fer are also possible. Cell Relay platforms transmit all information, including voice, data, Together Cell Relay switching and Frame Relay provide: video, and signalling in a single packet format. They provide truly integrated transmission over a single high-speed digital line. Unlike 1. Savings on Hardware. Only one port is needed with Frame traditional packet switches, Cell Relay switches use short, fixed Relay, since frames contain their destination addresses this length packets (cells), and, using a hardware-based switching tech- effectively splits the physical connection into multiple logical nique, switch them at very high speeds (100,000 to 1,000,000 connections to different destinations. This replaces the TDM packets per second), as in Figure 55.6. interface requirement of dedicating one port for each destina- Because Cell Relay networks have very high throughput and low tion. The result is reduced hardware costs, especially in large delays, they can be used for all kinds of communication traffic: networks. Figures 55.4 and 55.5 illustrate this. voice, synchronous data and video, as well as the low speed data Bandwidth savings. Cell Relay switch handling of bursty data, applications that are being serviced by conventional packet net- when used with the Frame Relay in