Communications Servers Come Of Age
By Brian Carr, Strategic Marketing Manager, Motorola, Inc., Embedded Communications Computing
When the concept of the open, standards-based Communications Server was first unveiled in 2004, we identified the promise of reduced cost of ownership and enhanced time to market for platforms that adopted this approach. First generation communications servers are now fulfilling this promise for a number of network equipment providers and their customers. Case studies of these applications demonstrate substantial advantages to the companies concerned, and industry analysts agree. A study by the Yankee Group identified a significant (30 percent) reduction in overall development cost when using standards-based communications servers and a meaningful increase in Net Present Value when time-to-market advantage is factored in.
The first generation communications server is based on the AdvancedTCA standard. Nortel was one of the first to adopt the principle in its Versatile Service Engine (VSE) development, where many applications are configurable by software instead of hardware. As a result of adopting the communications server platform, Nortel reduced its total cost of ownership in terms of spares provision, training and installation costs, simpler provisioning and configuration, and increased scalability. Nortel is not unique. AdvancedTCA-based communications servers are now live in a number of carrier and service provider networks around the world.
So, for the first generation, communications servers have come of age: the proud parents are celebrating a graduation. However, in the network equipment industry, the only constant is change!
We are now seeing the adoption of next generation AdvancedTCA communications servers. These are based on 10 Gigabit fabric technologies with improved thermal designs, and open the way for a new wave of applications to gain the same benefits. At the same time, other technology advances such as many-core processing complement the increases in base platform capability. As technologies emerge that can take communications servers to 40 Gbps, the range of potential applications that can be served by a standards-based common platform becomes even larger, and the longevity of AdvancedTCA seems secure.
We are also seeing the emergence of opportunities outside traditional telecom networks, such as in the next-generation electronic battlefield. The basic infrastructure is similar to a commercial wireless network and so communications server technology is relevant, but the final implementation and environment for the equipment is different. This is where MicroTCA-based communications servers potentially have application – supporting a variety of different packaging options, including fully rugged defense style packages, but reusing the same core technology to maximize economies of scale.
The migration of applications from the data center into the network environment has been driving both hardware and software evolution of AdvancedTCA communications servers. But will that migration work in reverse? For those who already have central office platforms, the key to reducing the total cost of ownership is reuse of both software and hardware components, hence the demand for a smaller scale AdvancedTCA option, capable of use in both enterprise and central office environments. This throws down the gauntlet to commercial server manufacturers. AdvancedTCA everywhere? Maybe not today, but perhaps someday.
Brian Carr is a Strategic Marketing Manager in Motorola's Embedded Communications Computing business. He is responsible for communications servers based on open standards such as AdvancedTCA, MicroTCA, Carrier Grade Linux, and Service Availability Forum. He holds Master's degrees in Engineering from Cambridge University and in Information Technology from Essex University.
Brian Carr is a keynote speaker at the third annual AdvancedTCA Summit, to be held October 16-18, 2007 at the Santa Clara Convention Center/Hyatt in Santa Clara, California. For more information, visit www.advancedtcasummit.com.