subject: Communications Server - China 4d Theater System - China Mini 4d Cinema System [print this page] Attributes Attributes
Open
Based on industry-managed open standards
Broad, multi-vendor ecosystem
Industry certified interoperability
Availability of tools that facilitate development and integration of applications at the standardized interfaces
Multiple competitive options for standards-based modules
Flexible
Designed to easily incorporate application-specific added value at all levels of the solution
Can be rapidly repurposed as needs change to protect customer investment
Multi-level, scalable, bladed architecture
Meets needs of multiple industries beyond telecommunications, such as medical imaging, defense and aerospace
Carrier Grade
Designed for
Longevity of supply
Extended lifecycle (>10 years) support
High availability (>5NINES)
on-disruptively upgradeable and updateable
Hard real time capability to ensure quality of service for critical traffic
Meets network building regulations
Communications Focus
Designed as common platform for a wide range of communications applications
Optimized configurations for:
Control plane processing
E.g. radio network controller (RNC), IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) CSCF
Applications Servers and network embedded databases
Including HSS, HLR/VLR
Packet termination and routing
Including signaling gateways, session border controllers
Multimedia servers and translators
Including media servers, media gateways, video encoders, video on demand servers
Extensive range of telecom I/O options
Including ATM, Ethernet, SONET, T1/E1, T3
Sourced as integrated and pre-validated systems to streamline supply chain and simplify integration and testing
Industry-managed standards
Several industry-managed standards are critical to the success of communications servers, including:
AdvancedTCA
The Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) is a series of PCI Industrial Computers Manufacturers Group (PICMG) specifications, targeted to meet the requirements for carrier grade communications equipment. This series of specifications incorporates the latest trends in high speed interconnect technologies, next generation processors and improved reliability, manageability and serviceability.
AdvancedMC
The PICMG Advanced Mezzanine Card specification defines the base-level requirements for a wide-range of high-speed mezzanine cards optimized for, but not limited to, AdvancedTCA Carriers. AdvancedMC enhances AdvancedTCA flexibility by extending its high-bandwidth, multi-protocol interface to individual hot-swappable modules.
MicroTCA
This PICMG specification provides a framework for combining AdvancedMC modules directly, without the need for an AdvancedTCA or custom carrier. MicroTCA is aimed at smaller equipment such as wireless base stations, Wi-Fi and WiMAX radios, and VoIP access gateways where small physical size low entry cost, and scalability are key requirements.
Carrier Grade Linux
An enhanced version of Linux for use in a highly available, secure, scalable, and maintainable carrier grade system. The specification is managed by the CGL Working Group of the Open Source Development Labs.
HPI and AIS
These Service Availability Forum (SA Forum) specifications define standard interfaces for telecom platform management and high-availability software.
The Hardware Platform Interface (HPI) specification defines the interface between high availability middleware and the underlying hardware and operating system.
At a higher layer than HPI, the Application Interface Specification (AIS) defines the application programming interface between the high availability middleware and the application. AIS allows an application to run on multiple computing modules, and applications that support AIS can migrate more easily between computing platforms from different manufacturers that support the standard.
In addition to the standards development organizations mentioned above, four industry associations / vendor alliance programs are playing key roles in the development of the communications server ecosystem.
Industry associations
SCOPE Alliance
SCOPE Alliance is an industry alliance committed to accelerating the deployment of carrier grade base platforms for service provider applications. Its mission is to help, enable and promote the availability of open carrier grade base platforms based on Commercial-Off-The-Shelf hardware / software and Free Open Source Software building blocks, and to promote interoperability to better serve Service Providers and consumers.
Communications Platforms Trade Association
The Communications Platforms Trade Association (CP-TA) is an association of communications platforms and building block providers dedicated to accelerating the adoption of SIG-governed, open specification-based communications platforms through interoperability certification. With industry collaboration, the CP-TA plans to drive a mainstream market for open industry standards-based communications platforms by certifying interoperable products.
Vendor alliance programs
Intel Communications Alliance
The Intel Communications Alliance is a community of communications and embedded developers and solutions providers committed to the development of modular, standards-based solutions on Intel technologies.
Motorola Communications Server Alliance
The Motorola Communications Server Alliance is an ecosystem of technology, service and solution providers aligned to provide standards-based solution elements validated with Motorola communications servers. Alliance participants receive access to Motorola embedded communications computing product roadmaps, development systems, and participate in marketing activities with Motorola.
