12:25 PM When ATCA leads to quick forklift upgrades

Craig Matsumoto, Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading

September 23, 2009

1 Min Read
Semi-Planned Obsolescence

12:25 PM -- BOSTON -- Interesting point from Light Reading's xTCA Ecosystems Conference going on today: Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) likes using AdvancedTCA (ATCA), but it's finding a problem with chassis longevity.

In the past, telecom chassis have been expected to stay in the network for a decade or more. But as processors get faster, they get more power-hungry. That's leading to a situation where a chassis built for, say, the old 140-Watt ATCA standard isn't necessarily suitable for the 250W or even 300W levels that chipmakers talk about for 10-Gbit/s blades.

"If I want to keep the chassis current, and keep up with Moore's Law, I have to change the chassis," said Paul Steinberg, Motorola fellow and chief architect, during a morning keynote.

But as noted, Motorola likes ATCA. Steinberg said the company has six ATCA-based wireless products deployed, with two more in the works.

— Craig Matsumoto, West Coast Editor, Light Reading

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Craig Matsumoto

Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading

Yes, THAT Craig Matsumoto – who used to be at Light Reading from 2002 until 2013 and then went away and did other stuff and now HE'S BACK! As Editor-in-Chief. Go Craig!!

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