[e2e] on local ethernet throughput?

[Craig Partridge]

In message <5.1.0.14.2.20011024164654.03788258 at mail.reed.com>, "David P. Reed" 
writes:

>If equipment companies could have ignored the ATM madness of bell-shaped 
>companies (carrier class equals ATM...), then we would have had packets 
>over DSL, and an Ethernet or IP-based authentication (like 802.1x).

Modest defense of the kludgery.

The carriers understand they have to deliver individual DSL lines
back to any CLEC that resells the DSL service.  I.e. CLEC needs to be
able to map something coming into their network as being from a particular
customer line that they rent from the CLEC.  The carriers needed, therefore,
some way to take a set of DSL physical lines and distribute them, flexibly,
and individually to various CLECs.  They hit on ATM circuits as the way to
do it -- not optimal, but not stupid either.

Craig