Print

Comment

Email

Digg

Del.icio.us

Reddit

The basic requirements that communications and data service network providers try to meet are availability, reliability, performance, and response-time requirements. So far these were being achieved by building on proprietary platforms that are closed systems, expensive to develop and maintain, and lack support for third party software and emerging standards.

Today, the industry is turning away from proprietary platforms towards open, standards-based building blocks for hardware, software platforms and high availability middleware. This approach offers cost-effective, timely delivery of new architectures, new services, and increased bandwidth.

CGL stands at the center of the move to open architectures in the telecom industry. The initiative began with the vision that communication services will be delivered using open standard carrier grade platforms to overcome the restrictions of traditional proprietary solutions. “CGL is reaching the stage where Linux was four years ago at the enterprises. It's still in the growth phase but already carriers and network equipment vendors (NEPs) are attracted to the overall benefits of Linux-vendor independence, openness, extensibility, and cost-and they recognize its potential for their markets,” says Satish Mohan, head, Engineering, Red Hat India.

As the market for Linux-based telecommunication products continues to grow, products based on CGL are being developed by some of the world's largest equipment manufacturers and Linux software developers. Mukul Agrawal, managing director, Unisys Global Services India, shares some encouraging signs, “The tide is turning for the telecommunications market. Recent announcements from a number of ISPs demonstrate the increasing adoption of Linux to reduce costs and enable a higher level of flexibility in telecommunications devices. CGL is increasingly being adopted by telecom service providers, airlines and banks.”

Must Standardize
Convergence of telecommunications, computers and broadcasting, has led to the emergence of more integrated info-communication choices for consumers. Standardization is a crucial part of this new picture, as it delivers global interconnectivity and interoperability among different equipment, systems and networks, promising truly ubiquitous use of info-communications for users.

Organizations like Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (ATP) strongly moot the proposal of having a framework for open telecom systems especially for the Asia-Pacific region where standardization is essential to harmonize the need of the market, the available technologies and the manufacturing capability.

“A common framework for the TEMs and NEPs ensures faster time to market and CGL propels standardisation in the telecom market,” says Praveen Sawkar, regional manager – South Asia, Sun Microsystems. “For the service provider, it is beneficial to have a common or standardised platform to deploy advanced technologies. Also this eliminates vendor lock-in,” he adds.

With the emergence of IP-based telephony, carriers have started to look at technologies based on open standards. Increasingly, open software and commercial off-the-shelf  (COTS) hardware are being seen as the means for rapid deployment of new voice and data services, while reducing capital expenses and operating costs, enabling equipment providers to stay competitive and profitable.

The OSDL Backing
To crystallize CGL with the objective of achieving the functionality and performance needed for carrier-grade platforms, the Open Source Development Lab (OSDL) established the Carrier Grade Linux Working Group (CGLWG). This body, comprises leading telecom vendors and open source software developers, gathers requirements, publishes specifications, and guides the direction for efforts needed to achieve carrier grade Linux.

CGL gained more momentum with leading telecom vendors supporting it, who became the core members of the OSDL CGLWG. Linux distribution suppliers are now demonstrating that they can meet the emerging needs of telecommunications by registering (disclosing publicly) how their Linux-based software platform products address the requirements as defined in the CGL Requirements Definition.

The CGLWG identified three main types of applications that carrier-grade Linux will support-gateways application, signaling server and management server applications. As for mobile networks, CGL will target all types of server nodes running at all layers of a next generation network: service, control and connectivity layers. “CGL is simply a branding mechanism provided by OSDL. Linux distributions can register with CGL, and this action announces an alignment of the distribution features with the requirements in the CGL specification. There is not a formal certification suite,” clarifies Faisal Paul, country manger, High Performance Computing, HP India.

Increasing Footprint
In February this year, the CGL version 3.2 specifications were released, following which several Linux distribution companies have registered. The SCOPE Alliance, a grouping of major telecom networking equipment vendors, published a profile for a carrier-grade Linux operating system. The profile published in June this year, builds on the CGL 3.2 and prioritizes the CGL 3.2 'roadmap' that is necessary to support carrier-grade base platforms for network equipment providers.

Page(s)   1  2