Sun Launches Cornerstone For New Embedded Telecom Platform
Sun Microsystems, Inc. introduced an embedded telecom platform based on ChorusOS 4.0 software and the Solaris operating environment at the SuperComm 99 trade show.
Answering the market demand for a networking architecture that will enable the convergence of voice and data technologies in wireline, wireless, switching and access networks, the platform will leverage a host of Sun hardware and software products to provide a scalable, reliable, carrier-grade solution. The range of products will provide network equipment providers and service providers with a highly integrated, ready-to-use platform on which to build and deploy new products and value-added services rapidly and cost effectively. A first step and cornerstone to the development of this platform, the ChorusOS 4.0 real-time embedded operating system is scheduled to be available next month.
"By leveraging Sun's ChorusOS software and the embedded telecom platform, Motorola will be able to deliver the wireless computing architecture needed for the 21st century," said Bo Hedfors, executive vice president, Motorola Corp.
The platform will provide a unique combination of products to develop a scalable, reliable and distributed IP network architecture integrating Solaris and the embedded real-time ChorusOS 4.0 operating system. The embedded telecom platform will also include common application programming interfaces (APIs) and telecom services such as high availability, manageability, and an integrated Java technology-enabled solution for the dynamic delivery of IPservices. It will run on top of Sun's Netra T servers and SPARCengine CompactPCI boards, as well as other commercially available telecom hardware platforms such as PowerPC or Intel architectures.
The embedded telecom platform is expected to meet the changing needs of the telecommunications business environment by giving network equipment providers a single infrastructure supported by open standards, freeing them from architecture issues and allowing them to concentrate on their areas of development expertise. Sun's software components seamlessly integrate with the hardware to form the embedded telecom platform, a cost-effective and flexible network solution in the service age. With the new release of ChorusOS software, Sun will deliver a complete binary package including hardware configuration and board support packages to support several CPU architectures. The software's ready-to-use feature for high availability support will include a hot-restart mechanism, error confinement and in-service reconfiguration. Its distributed architecture will enable the implementation of multi-tiered telecom applications from small line cards all the way up to switching control points. Finally, high-performance IP services and multiple protocol interfaces, facilitate support of a large variety of protocol stacks from third party vendors.