Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!zodiac!joyce!pong11!levin
From: levin@pong11.uucp (Larry Levin)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.iso
Subject: Re: What is Multilink Protocol?
Message-ID: <23523@joyce.istc.sri.com>
Date: 21 Jul 89 16:39:11 GMT
References: <3552@altos86.Altos.COM>
Sender: news@joyce.istc.sri.com
Reply-To: levin@pong11.UUCP (Larry Levin)
Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park CA
Lines: 21

In article <3552@altos86.Altos.COM> mickey@altos86.Altos.COM (Michael Thompson) writes:
>
>The 1984 CCITT recommendation for X.25 (et al) mentions multilink protocol
>as a link level protocol for X.25.  It does not go into specifics (of course)
>about the protocol.  What are the major differences between multilink and
>HDLC?  When is multilink used instead of HDLC?  Is it reasonable to expect
>it to be used over the same medium (RS232) as HDLC?  Where can I get
>documentation on this protocol?
>
The Multilink Procedure (MLP) is defined in the CCITT X.25 standard.
Look at Section 2.5 of the RED Book X.25 Standard.  MLP allows the use
of multiple parallel physical circuits between a single DTE/DCE pair.
I have never used it (or seen it implemented) but I imagine that is
use would be in cases where only low speed lines are available.  I
group 4 2400 bps lines and get an aggregate approaching 9.6 kpbs.

Hope this helps.

Larry Levin
ISED, SRI 
levin@spam.istc.sri.com