SHARED COMPONENTS
The many advantages of ATCA-based COTS components enable even greater time and cost
savings when they're deployed in multiple IMS network elements. For example, take an IMS network configuration with a
transport plane composed of a media gateway (MGW), session
border controller (SBC), and media resource function (MRF).
These three IMS network elements can share a number of
key components, including an ATCA carrier board (). As a
result, TEMs can cut down the number of inflexible, time-consuming processes (e.g., development, qualification, regulatory)
from three (i.e., one for each network element) to one. And by
using ATCA-based COTS products, TEMs can further drive down
development time and costs.
The first, a media gateway (MGW), acts as a bridging unit
between the legacy public switched telephone network
(PSTN) and the VoIP network. One of its key functions is to
convert between different transmission and coding techniques utilized by varying types of voice codecs.
Using the I-TDM (Intelligent Time-Division Multiplexer) protocol, MGWs connect between TDM and IP networks. This protocol allows MGWs to be implemented using ATCA by multiplexing
several TDM voice and media channels into one multimedia
packet for transport and storage within the platform. MGWs are
important elements of IMS networks. The market for media
gateways is expected to increase rapidly from $2 billion in 2005
to $6.8 billion in 2012, according to Frost & Sullivan
research (2006).
A session border controller (SBC) is a
session-aware device used in VoIP
networks to exert control over the
signaling and media streams
involved in setting up, conducting, and tearing down calls. Located on
the signaling and/or media path
between the calling and called party,
SBCs allow their owners to control the
kinds of calls that can be placed through the
networks on which they reside. In the case of
interconnect scenarios, SBCs are located on the
border dividing network operators.
Finally, a media resource function (MRF) —located at
the heart of the IMS network—processes all types of media (voice, video, and data). The MRF acts as
the "media server" of the IMS network,
enabling CSPs to offer a wide variety of value-added services. These wide-ranging multimedia services include voice and video
conferencing, interactive voice and video
response (IVVR) services, voice and video
messaging, and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV).
LEVERAGING THE ATCA COTS ECOSYSTEM
When
building an ATCA-based IMS network element, TEMS must
choose among a vast array of COTS components, including
chassis, power supplies, host processors, network processors,
switch fabrics, DSPs, and I/O cards for connecting to different
networks.
As such, TEMS should avoid selecting components that
can't interoperate with each other, thereby getting locked into
a single-vendor solution. Such "proprietary COTS" components increase TEMs' dependence on fewer vendors within
the supply chain and keep component costs high.
To enjoy the full benefits provided by COTS products in IMS
networks, TEMs should leverage the open ATCA ecosystem
based on standards-based interoperable components. Such
components should utilize standard hardware and software
interfaces, or "API-less" protocols such as SIP for multimedia
processing. I-TDM-compliant components enable next-generation IMS network elements to leverage substantial past investments in legacy TDM voice and media networks.
Whenever possible, TEMs should choose pre-integrated
components with field-proven interoperability. This open ATCA
ecosystem approach enables "mixing and matching" of best-of-breed COTS components, empowering TEMs to build robust,
cost-effective IMS systems quickly and efficiently.
EASY INTEGRATION
An example of an ATCA-based
multimedia-processing COTS component that offers distinct
advantages to IMS equipment manufacturers is an Advanced
Mezzanine Card (AdvancedMC or AMC) developed by Surf
Communication Solutions (). Designed according to
PICMG AMC standards, the SurfRider/AMC is a fully integrated mezzanine card that has been pre-integrated with leading
ATCA and MicroTCA chassis.
This AMC DSP resource board can integrate into various
types of network infrastructure equipment to enable the convergence of voice, video, and data across wireline and wireless networks ().
IMS-ATCA COMBO BENEFITS
ATCA-based COTS components are extremely well-suited for IMS infrastructure deployment, especially when TEMs can leverage the advantages of
common ATCA building blocks across multiple network elements. The combination of IMS architecture and open ATCA-based components delivers powerful benefits to CSPs:
- Faster time to revenue: Integrating ATCA-based components
within IMS network elements enables rapid provisioning and
delivery of attractive revenue-generating services to meet
evolving customer requirements.
- Lower total cost of ownership: The reduction of proprietary
parts coupled with the increase of shared COTS components
across IMS network elements lowers both capital and operating costs.
- Flexible network evolution: Network elements incorporating
industry-standard platforms, such as ATCA, make the migration to an IMS network more flexible and streamlined.
This combination also offers several benefits for TEMs:
- Decreased development costs and risk: Using cost-effective
best-of-breed COTS components reduces development costs
and risk.
- Lower production and maintenance costs: Fewer parts shared
across IMS network elements together with greater
economies of scale drive down costs.
- Optimized development resources: Integrating open third-party silicon and board-level components frees up developers to
concentrate on TEMs' core business and high value-added
applications.
- Increased supply-chain flexibility: A broader best-of-breed
supplier ecosystem reduces vendor dependency and drives
down component pricing.
- Faster time-to-market: Shorter development cycles using
available COTS solutions greatly accelerate TTM.