ATCA platforms support all-IP networks

Kontron has rolled out an updated program that features two new carrier-grade, 14-slot 10G and 40G ATCA platforms: the Kontron Open Modular Core OM9141-10G and Open Modular Core OM9141-40G.

Both platforms are integrated with faster bladed data transport, switching and system management hardware that TEMs can use as a starting point to build multiple new equipment configurations using CPU, NPU, DSP, storage and even specialised third-party ATCA-based line cards that meet the requirements for 3G/4G, LTE, WIMAX, GPON and IPTV network elements.

Each integrated Kontron Open Modular Core platform includes redundant power-entry modules, cooling infrastructure with hot swappable redundant fans and 10GbE or 40GbE switching capabilities based on the Kontron ATCA switch blades AT8910 and AT8940, each with platform synchronisation interfaces.

Also built in is redundant Shelf Management with interoperability-tested Shelf Manager Cross Connects, as per PICMG specification, and optional systems management functionality based on the COM Express form factor which resides on the Kontron ATCA switch blades AT8910/AT8940 for centralised system management with a standards-based HPI implementation.

A telco alarm panel provides telecom-grade external system alarm notification.

The range of applications to build systems based on the Kontron 10G or 40G Open Modular Core Platforms includes 3G/4G and LTE network elements; GPON/EPON and optical transport network elements; QoS and test platform network elements; service and content delivery platforms with security and DPI functionality.

Kontron suggest that equipment vendors in the Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) market may wish to consider adding Kontron's new high performance, dual packet processor (L2-L7) 40G ATCA blade AT8242 loaded with two Octeon II MIPS64 32-core processors from Cavium Networks.

Designed for complex networking functions, the Octeon II processors combine more than 85 L3-L7 application acceleration engines, virtualisation features, 100Gbps of connectivity and a real-time power optimiser that dynamically adjusts power depending upon the application-level processing requirement.

The ATCA specification was conceived to support all-IP networks and, in the case of LTE, meets the following requirements: ease of scalability and extensibility; intrinsic low latency packet switching; IPv6 support; 10GbE and 40GbE backplanes for network processing; IPsec protection of the control plane and the user plane; MPLS support; Sync E and IEEE1588 support; and dedicated or shared protection for (1+1, 1:1, M:N).

All-IP mobile wireless network infrastructures are dependent on new ways to achieve network synchronisation and it is primarily important for content-delivery platforms that provide not only voice but audio, HD video and real-time streaming content of MMS and MBMS.

For LTE and the IP-based packet-switched EPC, there are two available synchronisation options: IEEE 1588 (PTP) and synchronous Ethernet, both of which are supported on Kontron 10G/40G Open Modular Core platforms.

1588 (Precision Time Protocol) describes a hierarchical master-slave architecture for clock distribution, while Sync E brings synchronisation to specific Ethernet applications which otherwise would be asynchronous.

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