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Industry Perspective: Ruggedized MicroTCA* and AdvancedMC* for Military Applications
The PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG) ratified the specification for Micro Telecommunication Computing Architecture (MicroTCA*) in July 2006. Incorporating the Advanced Mezzanine Card* (AMC) module standard, MicroTCA has been adopted by a growing ecosystem of suppliers to the telecommunications industry, as well as vendors serving industrial, medical, military, aerospace and homeland security market segments for embedded computing and communications.
The MicroTCA standard represents the evolution of PICMG’s AdvancedTCA* standard for telecommunications. It is designed to meet system-level requirements for reduced size, weight and power (SWAP), in addition to higher levels of compute performance/ watt/square inch in communications and computing devices. MicroTCA provides vendors who serve the Department of Defense (DoD) with a framework for the development of validated network centric platforms for small, highly cost-effective network devices the next generation of network-centric battlefield systems.
The PICMG Subcommittee on Ruggedized MicroTCA is the working group of ecosystem vendors responsible for developing detailed specifications for extended temperature operation, shock/vibration and other characteristics applicable to harsh environments, such as industrial and military applications. Several vendors have proceeded with proof of concept designs in advance of these specification efforts. This paper provides an overview of the status of ruggedized MicroTCA from the perspective of BAE Systems, Emerson Network Power, Hybricon and Schroff Ltd. based on informal surveys conducted by Intel.
Leveraging the Communications Server EcosystemTraditionally, network equipment providers (NEPs) have provided completely integrated,purpose-built network elements as essential building blocks of growing telecommunications networks. They have rarely used their suppliers for any of the major areas of hardware design, software development, reliability engineering, platform validation or related services.However, the rapidly evolving and fiercely competitive landscape of the global NEPs’ customers – the network service providers (NSPs) – looks nothing like it did a decade ago.
A number of market dynamics have been introduced over recent years that are driving down average revenue per user (ARPU): world-wide telecommunications deregulation; disruptive technologies (e.g., Voice over IP); increased demand for data applications; and diminishing loyalties from the end-user customer base. The very foundations of the industry are being shaken. As a result, many established NEPs are struggling with the challenge of how to survive, let alone thrive, in this turbulent environment. The embedded communications computing industry refines a concept from enterprise computing that may go a long way in addressing these challenges: Using the standardsbased communications server ecosystem to leverage external, independent investments in R&D and delivery capability.
AdvancedTCA Platforms - Building Blocks vs. Integrated Communications Servers
A growing trend among network equipment providers (NEPs) is to define a common infrastructure platform as the foundation for a broad category of applications. Increasingly, this platform is specified with open, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and standards-based high availability middleware.
Proven advantages of this strategy include time-to-market (when compared with in-house platform development); R&D efficiency; technology choice from a broad set of vendors; and lifecycle maintenance savings. Once the decision has been made to outsource platform development using open standards based hardware and software, the next choice is whether to procure fully integrated systems or to integrate building blocks to create the final platform.
The AdvancedTCA standard was conceived to define a specification which would allow products from different vendors to interoperate in a platform capable of meeting the rigid requirements of the telecommunications central office environment. It is therefore, theoretically possible to procure ATCA compliant building blocks from different vendors , plug them together and create an application-ready platform. However, in practice, things are never this easy.
Network Equipment Building System (NEBS) requirements are defined in Telcordia SR- 3580 and primarily consist of compliance to Telcordia GR-63-CORE and GR-1089-CORE. NEBS certification is required by North American Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC), Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLEC), International Exchange Carriers (IXC), and other networks operators prior to deployment in their networks.
In addition to meeting NEBS requirements, some of the North American carriers require additional testing to be performed, most commonly known as “NEBS Supplementary Requirements”.
European carriers generally require proof of compliance to a similar set of standards generated and maintained by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). These standards are primarily EN 300 019, EN 300 386, ETS 300 753 and EN 300 132. While the requirements are very similar to NEBS, the limits and specific tests may vary based on the differences in climate and geography between the U.S.A. and Europe.
MicroTCA™: Compact, Flexible, Economical Shelf Architecture for Telecom Systems
MicroTCA (Micro Telecommunications Computing Architecture or MTCA.0) is an open system-level chassis specification developed by PICMG (PCI Manufacturers Group) for low-cost, small-form-factor utilizing AdvancedMC modules plugged directly into a backplane. MicroTCA is defined to be complementary to AdvancedTCA targeting edge and access applications, customer premises equipment (CPE) and other applications where cost and size are major constraints including: data centers, industrial control and medical. Emerson Network Power’s Embedded Computing business continues to take an active role in the PICMGMicroTCA subcommittee. It is an early MicroTCA technology provider, and is fully engaged in helping drive the specification inmaking it a reality for the telecomspace.
Product Testing: Creating Meaningful Test Data for Our Customers
As Emerson creates more complex products, and as the rules and regulations governing the operation of those products become more diverse, challenges will arise as to how to test our products to ensure that the needs of our customers are met. To be ready for these challenges, Emerson’s regulatory department must stay a step ahead and work with various groups to find innovative ways to effectively test our products and meet new and existing standards—maintaining a reliable end product of superior quality and performance. This article discusses one recent situation where Emerson’s regulatory group, together with a local engineering and testing firm, displayed ingenuity by developing and implementing a new testing strategy to provide dependable results for our customers. Accurate and reliable testing is a necessary part of product development and an integral component in the workflow at Emerson. This is another example of how we show our commitment to excellence while exceeding the expectations of our customers.
The competitive nature of the communications marketplace is forcing network equipment providers (NEPs) to reexamine how they architect and deploy new services and the equipment that enables those services on behalf of their customers, network service providers. The challenge is to deploy new services quickly and efficiently while maintaining the level of service which customers expect and which may be dictated by regulation.
To address this challenge, many NEPs have adopted the concept of a common platform. This involves building a single platform that can be used to deploy many applications. To meet the requirements of platform flexibility, convergence of communications and computing, and rapid application deployment, network service providers are increasingly demanding—and NEPs are responding with—commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) platforms. COMMUNICATIONS SERVERS AND ENTERPRISE SERVERS
There are two types of such platforms available today—communications servers and enterprise servers. Communications servers, based on open industry standards (such as AdvancedTCA®, MicroTCA™, Carrier Grade Linux and Service Availability Forum™ high availability specifications) operate as a carrier-grade common platform for a wide range of communications applications and allow for value-add at many levels of the system architecture.
Demonstrating Software Reliability
The terms “Reliability”, “High Availability” and “Carrier Grade” have become common in the context of communications equipment in particular, and the broader context of Embedded Systems as a whole. In many cases, the terms are used synonymously, which is confusing – as they are quite distinct.
In addition, systems engineers tend to be very comfortable in dealing with the reliability of Hardware (in terms of MTBF and MTTR). Software is not so mature in the field of measured reliability. This is a cause for concern, as Software is the cause of at least as many system failures as Hardware!
This paper attempts to define the terms associated with the overall reliability of a system (comprising multiple hardware and software components), and illustrates how Software Reliability is factored in. The methods used to determine Software Reliability for High Availability solutions and the techniques used to model System Reliability and Availability are explored
As a result, recommendations are made for software engineering practice for High Availability (or “Carrier Grade”) applications.
Sigtran is a working group of the IETF, formed in 1999, and tasked with defining an architecture for the transport of real-time signalling data over IP networks. Its work culminated in not just the architecture, but also the definition of a suite of protocols to carry SS7 and ISDN messages over IP.
This protocol suite is made up of a new transport layer – the Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) and a set of User Adaptation (UA) layers which mimic the services of the lower layers of SS7 and ISDN.
This paper describes the Sigtran architecture and protocol suite. It starts by outlining the network architecture within which the Sigtran suite applies – effectively, defining the problem solved by SCTP and the UAs.
It continues to describe the protocol requirements for transporting signalling information over IP – presenting an argument why existing protocols (such as TCP) are not suitable for this purpose.
Finally, the UA layers themselves are discussed – covering both their functionality and their applicability.
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) are facing tough times ahead as they strive to improve their businesses. Core to this are the “Make versus Buy” decisions they face during every new product development. A significant trend is emerging towards the “Buy” decision, resulting in the outsourcing for new technology.
A faster and better approach is needed when introducing new, innovative ideas and products, which will provide significant value and cost savings. Currently there are two perspectives when developing and deploying new network technology–those of the OEMs and those of the network operators.
This article suggests a third possible perspective: that of the suppliers to the OEMs who should be viewed as partners who can deliver significant value and not just as suppliers of components.
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