Why Build When You Can Buy? The ATCA Balancing Act

The majority of network equipment providers use an Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture (ATCA) for many new carrier grade systems; however, only half of these systems are built using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and platforms. This represents a challenge and an opportunity for ATCA vendors and network equipment providers.

By using ATCA, network equipment providers can reduce time to market for new systems by up to two and a half years. Network equipment providers that already ship ATCA-based systems include Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU), Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. , Italtel SpA , Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT), NEC Corp. (Tokyo: 6701), Tekelec Inc. (Nasdaq: TKLC), and ZTE Corp. (Shenzhen: 000063; Hong Kong: 0763). In addition, Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC) is acquiring ATCA-based products from Nortel Networks Ltd. These companies use a range of development strategies from complete in-house ATCA platform designs to off-the-shelf, application-ready platforms from system integrators.

The latest edition of Light Reading's Components Insider, "ATCA Proves Out as a Product Development Time-Saver," explains how to get ahead of the competition by using ATCA and COTS components and platforms. The report includes information and analysis on middleware, operating systems, ATCA blades, and application-ready platforms from 15 software vendors and system integrators. It also provides insight into ATCA usage by network equipment providers across a range of applications, including Long Term Evolution (LTE)/Evolved Packet Core (EPC), WiMax, 2/3G wireless infrastructure, and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS).

ATCA systems are available with 2, 5, 6, 14, or 16 slots. Basic chassis are available with integrated backplane, cooling, and management modules from several vendors, including Asis, Comtel Electronics GmbH , Elma Electronic Inc. , and Schroff/Pentair Electronic Packaging . Application-ready platforms with switching and central processing unit (CPU) blades are available from many system integrators, including Continuous Computing Corp. , Diversified Technology Inc. , Emerson Electric Co. , Kontron AG , and RadiSys Corp. (Nasdaq: RSYS). Most of these chassis and systems support 200 Watts per slot, and several support up to 320 Watts per slot.

The latest CPU ATCA blades integrate Intel Xeon 5500 quad core processors or AMD Opteron quad core processors. Some of these blades deliver twice the processing power of previous generations. Quad core blades are available from Adlink, Continuous Computing, Diversified Technology, Emerson, Kontron, Radisys, and Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: JAVA). Each of these blades provides unique functionality with one or two processors, a range of core frequencies and memory options within 200W to 320W power envelopes. Other ATCA blades include dual- and single-core CPU, packet processing, digital signal processor (DSP), storage, and Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) carrier blades. AMC modules provide further modularity with one or two modules plugging into many standard ATCA blades and four AMC modules plugging into a typical AMC carrier blade.

Middleware and operating systems are crucial elements in any telecom system. Network equipment providers can use COTS software, open source software, in-house developments, or a mixture. Application-ready systems can be supplied with integrated middleware and operating system and system integrators also use a mixture of COTS software, open source, and in-house developments. Most middleware developers, third-party, open source, and in-house, are moving to support the SA Forum specifications. These define standard interfaces between applications, middleware, and multiple hardware platforms including ATCA.

The ATCA ecosystem is now complete with more than 60 vendors supplying chassis, blades, software, and application-ready systems. With ATCA, network equipment providers have a unique opportunity to build carrier-grade systems using a mix of in-house and COTS components. The challenge for ATCA component vendors, third-party software vendors, and system integrators is to show that off-the-shelf components and platforms are the best solution for most network equipment providers. This can be achieved by delivering fully integrated, application-ready platforms with a range of software and hardware options at a price that is competitive with in-house developments when you take into account the additional time-to-market benefits achieved.

— Simon Stanley, Analyst, Light Reading's Components Insider

This report, ATCA Proves Out as a Product Development Time-Saver, is available as part of an annual subscription (6 bimonthly issues) to Light Reading's Components Insider, priced at $1,295. Individual reports are available for $900. For more information, or to subscribe, please visit: www.lightreading.com/commchip.