The first Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture (AdvancedTCA)* systems are now hitting the streets, and initial indications are that this technology could be a real winner with telecom OEMs and carriers alike. As with many new technologies there is plenty of hype, but in this instance there is already real substance behind the headlines.

ATCA promises to bring "plug-and-play" to carrier-grade systems by defining a high-availability, chassis-based platform that will scale from gigabits- to terabits-per-second. ATCA systems can be used across many applications, from technology demonstrators to business-critical solutions.

This report takes a look beyond the headlines at the likely benefits, the applications, and the outline specifications, while exploring some of the recent developments supporting this new platform.

Here’s a hyperlinked summary of the report:

• Why ATCA Is Important
  What benefits does AdvancedTCA offer?

• Market & Applications
  How big are the markets, and which will be first?

• ATCA Specifications
  Light Reading takes a look under the hood

• Data Transport
  Moving packets across the system

• A Common Platform
  Compute, storage, and networking in a single chassis

• Status & Developments
  Where is ATCA now, and who are the players?

Background Reading

• News Analysis: ATCA's at a Fork in the Road
• News Analysis: Telco Systems Hops ATCA Hurdle
• News Analysis: HP Plans ATCA Telecom Blade
• News Analysis: Ethernet Backplanes Approach 10 Gig
• News Analysis: AdvancedTCA Makes Headway
• News Analysis: ATCA to Be Worth $3.7B in 2007

A Webinar on this topic, entitled "ATCA: The Interoperability Revolution Continues," is scheduled for December 8. It will be moderated by the author of this report, Simon Stanley, and sponsored by Intel Corp., Motorola Inc., RadiSys Corp., and Siemens Communications Group. For more information or to register, please click here.

Click here to view the recent Light Reading Webinar on which this report is based. The Webinar was sponsored by Applied Micro Circuits Corp. (AMCC) (Nasdaq: AMCC), Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC), Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT), and Telco Systems (BATM).

Need to know more about the latest developments in AdvancedTCA? check out the coming Light Reading Live! conference:

This one-day event, hosted by Simon Stanley, will provide qualified attendees from Light Reading's global audience with original research into the ATCA components market, from its Heavy Reading market research division.

• For more information, click here
  
• To register, click here
  
• Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Direct all inquiries to sales@lightreading.com.

* AdvancedTCA and ATCA are registered trademarks of PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG).

— Simon Stanley is founder and principal consultant of Earlswood Marketing Ltd. He is the author of several Light Reading reports on communications chips, including Packet Switch Chips, Traffic Manager Chips, 10-Gig Ethernet Transponders, Network Processors, and Next-Gen Sonet Silicon, and is a regular moderator of Light Reading Webinars. He is also author of a Heavy Reading report entitled 10-Gbit/s Ethernet Components: A Heavy Reading Competitive Analysis.