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SCOPE Alliance
The SCOPE Alliance was a non-profit and influential Network Equipment provider (NEP) industry group aimed at standardizing "carrier-grade" systems for telecom in the Information Age. The SCOPE Alliance was founded in January 2006 by a group of NEP's, including Alcatel, Ericsson, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, and Siemens. In 2007, it added significantly to its membership. Mission Active between 2006 and 2012, its mission was to enable and promote the availability of open carrier-grade base platforms based on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware/software and free and open-source software building blocks, and promote interoperability between such components. SCOPE wanted to accelerate the deployment of carrier-grade base platforms (CGBP) for service provider applications so that NEP's could use them to build better solutions for their customers. By 2011, SCOPE achieved its aim, having accelerated innovation in carrier-grade communications technology and ATCA, NEPs sell integrated h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Network Equipment Provider
Network equipment providers (NEPs) – sometimes called telecommunications equipment manufacturers (TEMs) – sell products and services to communication service providers such as fixed or mobile operators as well as to enterprise customers. NEP technology allows for calls on mobile phones, Internet surfing, joining a conference calls, or watching video on demand through IPTV (internet protocol TV). The history of the NEPs goes back to the mid-19th century when the first telegraph networks were set up. Some of these players still exist today. Telecommunications equipment manufacturers The terminology of the traditional telecommunications industry has rapidly evolved during the Information Age. The terms "Network" and "Telecoms" are often used interchangeably. The same is true for "provider" and "manufacturer". Historically, NEPs sell integrated hardware/software systems to carriers such as NTT-DoCoMo, ATT, Sprint, and so on. They purchase hardware from TEMs (telecom equipment ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Network Function Virtualization
Network functions virtualization (NFV) is a network architecture concept that leverages the IT virtualization technologies to virtualize entire classes of network node functions into building blocks that may connect, or chain together, to create and deliver communication services. NFV relies upon traditional server-virtualization techniques such as those used in enterprise IT. A virtualized network function, or VNF, is implemented within one or more virtual machines or containers running different software and processes, on top of commercial off the shelf (COTS) high-volume servers, switches and storage devices, or even cloud computing infrastructure, instead of having custom hardware appliances for each network function thereby avoiding vendor lock-in. For example, a virtual session border controller could be deployed to protect a network without the typical cost and complexity of obtaining and installing physical network protection units. Other examples of NFV include virtualized ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage ( cloud storage) and computing power, without direct active management by the user. Large clouds often have functions distributed over multiple locations, each of which is a data center. Cloud computing relies on sharing of resources to achieve coherence and typically uses a "pay as you go" model, which can help in reducing capital expenses but may also lead to unexpected operating expenses for users. Value proposition Advocates of public and hybrid clouds claim that cloud computing allows companies to avoid or minimize up-front IT infrastructure costs. Proponents also claim that cloud computing allows enterprises to get their applications up and running faster, with improved manageability and less maintenance, and that it enables IT teams to more rapidly adjust resources to meet fluctuating and unpredictable demand, providing burst computing capability: high computing p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
OpenSAF
OpenSAF (commonly styled SAF, the Service Availability Framework) is an open-source service-orchestration system for automating computer application deployment, scaling, and management. OpenSAF is consistent with, and expands upon, Service Availability Forum (SAF) and SCOPE Alliance standards. It was originally designed by Motorola ECC, and is maintained by the OpenSAF Project. OpenSAF is the most complete implementation of the SAF AIS specifications, providing a platform for automating deployment, scaling, and operations of application services across clusters of hosts. It works across a range of virtualization tools and runs services in a cluster, often integrating with JVM, Vagrant, and/or Docker runtimes. OpenSAF originally interfaced with standard C Application Programming interfaces (APIs), but has added Java and Python bindings. OpenSAF is focused on Service Availability beyond High Availability (HA) requirements. While little formal research is published to improve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hardware Platform Interface
The Hardware Platform Interface (HPI) is an open specification that defines an application programming interface (API) for platform management of computer systems. The API supports tasks including reading temperature or voltage sensors built into a processor, configuring hardware registers, accessing system inventory information like model numbers and serial numbers, and performing more complex activities, such as upgrading system firmware or diagnosing system failures. HPI is designed for use with fault-tolerant and modular high-availability computer systems, which typically include automatic fault detection features and hardware redundancy so that they can provide continuous Service Availability. Additional features common in hardware platforms used for high-availability applications include online serviceability and upgradeability via hot-swappable modules. The HPI specification is developed and published by the Service Availability Forum (SA Forum) and made freely available t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Application Interface Specification
{{unreferenced, date=March 2010 The Application Interface Specification (AIS) is a collection of open specifications that define the application programming interfaces (APIs) for high-availability application computer software. It is developed and published by the Service Availability Forum (SA Forum) and made freely available. Besides reducing the complexity of high-availability applications and shortening development time, the specifications intended to ease the portability of applications between different middleware implementations and to admit third party developers to a field that was highly proprietary in the past. History The AIS is part of the Service Availability Interfaces (SAI) of the SA Forum. The original specifications, released on April 14, 2003, were the Availability Management Framework (AMF), the Cluster Membership Service (CLM) and four other utility services (Checkpoint, Event, Message, Lock). Additional services were added in subsequent releases. * Relea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Service Availability Forum
The Service Availability Forum (SAF or SA Forum) is a consortium that develops, publishes, educates on and promotes open specifications for carrier-grade and mission-critical systems. Formed in 2001, it promotes development and deployment of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology. Description Service availability is an extension of high availability, referring to services that are available regardless of hardware, software or user fault and importance. Key principles of service availability: * Redundancy – "backup" capability in case of need to failover due to a fault * Stateful and seamless recovery from failures * Minimization of mean time to repair (MTTR) – time to restore service after an outage * Fault prediction & avoidance – take action before something fails The traditional definitions of high availability have their roots in hardware systems where redundancy of equipment was the primary mechanism for achieving uptime over a specific period. As software has c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Middleware
Middleware is a type of computer software that provides services to software applications beyond those available from the operating system. It can be described as "software glue". Middleware makes it easier for software developers to implement communication and input/output, so they can focus on the specific purpose of their application. It gained popularity in the 1980s as a solution to the problem of how to link newer applications to older legacy systems, although the term had been in use since 1968. In distributed applications The term is most commonly used for software that enables communication and management of data in distributed applications. An IETF workshop in 2000 defined middleware as "those services found above the transport (i.e. over TCP/IP) layer set of services but below the application environment" (i.e. below application-level APIs). In this more specific sense ''middleware'' can be described as the dash ("-") in '' client-server'', or the ''-to-'' in ''peer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
High Availability
High availability (HA) is a characteristic of a system which aims to ensure an agreed level of operational performance, usually uptime, for a higher than normal period. Modernization has resulted in an increased reliance on these systems. For example, hospitals and data centers require high availability of their systems to perform routine daily activities. Availability refers to the ability of the user community to obtain a service or good, access the system, whether to submit new work, update or alter existing work, or collect the results of previous work. If a user cannot access the system, it is – from the user's point of view – ''unavailable''. Generally, the term ''downtime'' is used to refer to periods when a system is unavailable. Principles There are three principles of systems design in reliability engineering which can help achieve high availability. # Elimination of single points of failure. This means adding or building redundancy into the system so that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Linux Foundation
The Linux Foundation (LF) is a non-profit technology consortium founded in 2000 as a merger between Open Source Development Labs and the Free Standards Group to standardize Linux, support its growth, and promote its commercial adoption. Additionally, it hosts and promotes the collaborative development of open source software projects. It is a major force in promoting diversity and inclusion in both Linux and the wider open source software community. The foundation was launched in 2000, under the Open Source Development Labs (OSDL) and became the organization it is today when OSDL merged with the Free Standards Group (FSG). The Linux Foundation sponsors the work of Linux creator Linus Torvalds and lead maintainer Greg Kroah-Hartman. Furthermore, it is supported by members, such as AT&T, Cisco, Fujitsu, Google, Hitachi, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Meta, Microsoft, NEC, Oracle, Orange S.A., Qualcomm, Samsung, Tencent, and VMware, as well as developers from around the world. In recent y ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carrier Grade Linux
Carrier Grade Linux (CGL) is a set of specifications which detail standards of availability, scalability, manageability, and service response characteristics which must be met in order for Linux kernel-based operating system to be considered "carrier grade" (i.e. ready for use within the telecommunications industry). The term is particularly applicable as telecom converges technically with data networks and commercial off-the-shelf commoditized components such as blade servers. Carrier-grade is a term for public network telecommunications products that require up to 5 nines or 6 nines (or 99.999 to 99.9999 percent) availability, which translates to downtime per year of 30 seconds (6 nines) to 5 minutes (5 nines). The term "5 nines" is usually associated with carrier-class servers, while "6 nines" is usually associated with carrier-class switches. CGL project and goals The primary motivation behind the CGL effort is to present an open architecture alternative to the closed, p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Free Standards Group
The Free Standards Group was an industry non-profit consortium chartered to primarily specify and drive the adoption of open source standards. It was founded on May 8, 2000. All standards developed by the Free Standards Group (FSG) were released under open terms (the GNU Free Documentation License with no cover texts or invariant sections) and test suites, sample implementations and other software were released as free software. On January 22, 2007, the Free Standards Group and the OSDL merged to form The Linux Foundation, narrowing their respective focuses to that of promoting Linux in competition with Microsoft Windows. Work groups FSG responsibility for the following work groups has now transferred to The Linux Foundation: * The Linux Standard Base (LSB), a set of interface standards allowing for the ultimate portability of applications across various Linux versions and distributions. Conformance with this specification is certified by The Open Group (under contract with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
