Reverse multiplexing combines multiple smaller circuits into a single communication pipeline, providing greater bandwidth. It can occur at the physical or data link layer and uses a round robin approach to distribute data. Benefits include cost-effectiveness, load balancing, and flexibility for growth.
Reverse multiplexing is a communication network technique by which multiple connecting circuits can be used to form a single data line. The technique is sometimes abbreviated to reverse muxing, or simply IMUX. With such a network connection, each of the smaller circuits is logically grouped together, thus understood by the entire network as a single communication pipeline. IMUX is, therefore, able to provide a greater amount of bandwidth overall, as the data is distributed across the smaller communication circuits.
It can be easy to confuse reverse multiplexing with regular multiplexing. In normal multiplexing, multiple data streams are directed into a large network loop and separated again at the other end. With a reverse multiplex, the house itself could be included in the move by taking it apart, loading it onto multiple trucks, and rebuilding it in the new location. In this analogy, IMUX is happening at both ends of the movement.
When it comes to networking, there are a couple of ways to reverse multiplex, both of which correspond to the first two layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, the physical layer and the data link layer. At what level IMUX occurs depends on the type of network being established, such as frame relay, Ethernet, and so on. In the case of a level one method, the physical layer, it is precisely the bits that are separated in the different circuits that make up the connection. In a layer two method, the data link layer, where packets are converted into frames for transport over the physical layer, the frames are distributed among the circuits.
The way most reverse multiplexing implementations work is via a round robin approach, where data is sent to each smaller circuit, one at a time, and starts over from the first. However, some differences occur depending on the implementation. With a frame relay method, a larger frame may go out on the first circuit, and by the time it’s finished, the other circuits may have sent many more smaller frames. With an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, each cell in an ATM network is the same size, resulting in greater efficiency in the distribution process.
In addition to the cost effectiveness of reverse multiplexing, there are other benefits, such as more accurate load balancing across the network and lower latency on a given loop. The network is also more flexible to accommodate growth. As growth justifies the implementation of higher speed circuits in one area of a wide area network (WAN), IMUX hardware can be reused in another area of the WAN.
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