Some problems with the X.25 packet level protocol

Abstract
During the last year recommendation X.25 [1] of the CCITT specifying a packet mode interface between a DTE and a DCE has been the subject of study and discussion. X.25 defines a link access and a packet level protocol the latter of which is of interest here. According to X.25 a number of logical connections, called virtual calls, may share one physical link between DTE and DCE. The sharing is achieved by asynchronous time-division multiplexing of so-called logical channels. For each channel, call setup and clearing, data transfer, and flow control takes place by the exchange of packets. There are different types of packets for the different tasks mentioned. A scheme involving a number of states for logical channels is used in the protocol. In this paper we discuss two aspects of the packet level protocol which we feel are insufficiently or erroneously specified in X.25. First, the insufficient description of the DTE-to-DTE packet level protocol which X.25 implies. Second, some problems relating to the states and state transitions for logical channels as specified by X.25. These problems we consider to be the result of erroneous design, and repair is suggested.