The cutting edge

This is proving a noteworthy year for open standard based platforms for telecoms. Earlier this year, IBM introduced its BladeCenter HT architecture to address core networking alongside its existing enterprise market. Meanwhile, the Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA), which specifies hardware for next generation telecom equipment, has unveiled platforms supporting a 10Gbit/s backplane. This means ATCA can now tackle a slew of applications at 10Gbit/s line rates. ATCA came to the fore in 2003 to help a telecom industry emerging from a harsh recession. The specification’s goal was to enable vendors to move away from expensive proprietary platforms to open standard ones. Using a common specification, hardware vendors could sell ATCA line cards to all equipment vendors supporting the standard or use them as part of their own ATCA products. Cheaper, standard based platforms also meant system vendors could concentrate on differentiating their products using software. Telecom service providers meanwhile would benefit from application ready platforms.