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Can't be helped -- whenever someone mentions modularity, the first thing I
think of are those old plastic hamster habitats that consisted of rooms of
different shapes and purposes all linked by plastic tunnels. A real
hamster fanatic (which I never was) could build "hamster cities"
of surprising size and complexity using just these prefab units. It always
seemed to me that these hamster habitats were truly more modular than
human beings' so-called modular homes.
But the thing that impressed me most about these habitats was not their
size, but rather the freedom they represented for the hamster owner, and
for the hamster itself. You wanted a hamster... you just needed to buy two
little rooms to start. One for activities, eating, and waste, and one for
sleeping. The two rooms wouldn't cost you much more than the hamster
would, and you could grab a bag of food, a water bottle, and you were out
the door.
But you weren't stuck with some ridiculously tiny wire cage, and you
didn't have to convert that old aquarium down in your basement into a
makeshift home. Your hamsters wouldn't grow up to be mentally stunted,
with no understanding of the world around them except what lay within
their little wire cages. (Hmm... that almost sounds like an ILEC in some
ways...)
Instead, your hamsters had a world of promise before them. After all,
there were several round holes in each hamster unit. Sure, they were
plugged at first, but they were designed to be opened up, and whole new
units could be attached. There was the hamster rec room (for the spinning
wheel), the hamster maze, the communal room. Back when I had hamsters,
they used the communal room for lounging around, but these days they would
probably have a big NASDAQ board up there for watching their IPOs.
The point is, these hamster habitats were scalable. Robust. The
hamsters had something to look forward to and new things to challenge them
all the time. Hope for the future without having to throw away the past.
And whether you're talking about developing a communications server,
building an e-commerce site, or becoming the next great ASP, a modular,
open approach means that your business will be free to grow and adapt in
the future. If you'd rather not be ready for the future, that's certainly
your prerogative. Otherwise, get a head start by checking out the sidebar
on Brooktrout's Real Comm 100. It's only one possible way to achieve a
truly modular solution, but it's definitely a good start.
| Enabling
Technologies And Development News
Nokia Selects ILOG
Java GUIs For Network Mgmt System
Nokia Networks has selected the ILOG Java-based GUI, ILOG JTGO, and
ILOG JViews Component Suite for Nokia's Network Management System (NMS)
product portfolio. With support for standards such as Java and CORBA,
ILOG's software components will enable Nokia customers to perform
their own adaptations based on the Nokia Networks Monitoring
Platform. Additionally, third-party systems can be easily integrated
to the Nokia Networks Monitoring Platform.
No.512, comsolmag.com/freeinfo
Teltone Announces
Availability Of New T-1 Simulator
Teltone Corporation has announced the availability of a new T-1
simulator, the Telecom Simulation Platform (TSP). Designed for
maximum flexibility, the TSP allows customers to mix and match the
hardware modules that plug into the TSP base chassis, and customers
can change the configuration of their lab simulation.
No. 513, comsolmag.com/freeinfo
Lucent Integrates Blue
Wave's FACT Into High-Density Systems
Blue Wave Systems' ComStruct FACT software framework and the CPCI/C6400
DSP board have been integrated into a new signal processing platform
being designed by the Switching Solutions Group at Lucent
Technologies. The customizable platform provides trunk interfaces
for call processing functions and enables testing of high-density
communications applications. With the integration of the ComStruct
line, Lucent can also easily transition the platform for future use
in other application areas, providing call processing functions such
as HDLC (high-level data link control) and DTMF.
No. 514, comsolmag.com/freeinfo
Brooktrout's TRxStream
Series Now In CompactPCI
Brooktrout Technology has made its TRxStream Series of media
resource platforms available in the CompactPCI form factor, offering
developers a highly reliable platform for the new network
applications such as VoIP, unified messaging, speech recognition,
and Web-based messaging. With carrier-class features such as high
density, hot swap, 100 percent passive rear I/O, and support for
NEBS Level 3 systems, the TRxStream Series allows developers to
build robust, scalable applications while maintaining the
flexibility of open systems.
No. 515, comsolmag.com/freeinfo
Applied Micro Offers
AMCTAP Integration Utility For Windows CE
Applied Microsystems has announced a new version of its
AMCTAP integration utility for Windows CE Platform Builder 3.0,
which gives developers working in Windows CE run-time control of
Motorola 8xx processors and NEC MIPS processors. AMCTAP is a
hardware debugging API now included in the latest version of Windows
CE Platform Builder. With this utility, and Applied Micro emulator
(such as CodeTAP), or any third-part emulator that conforms to
Applied's API, will now work with any tool in Windows CE Platform
Builder environment.
No. 516, comsolmag.com/freeinfo
IML Offers Plug-In
Resource Module Addressing Loss Of TDM Capacity
InnoMediaLogic has announced the availability of its BASIS resource
module adapter and SQEEZ/ECHO plug-in functional modules, a solution
set that addresses the longstanding problem of maximizing voice
channel capacity in CT servers. The solution set adds the necessary
resources to maintain voice processing services required in packet
voice networks without affecting the overall TDM capacity of a
chassis. Built on an open architecture, these modules are designed
to leverage emerging computer components technology. The modular
approach, combined with the implementation of a secondary telephony
bus, eliminates the need to install additional resource cards to
perform voice processing services such as echo cancellation,
compression, decompression, or tone detection, and maintains maximum
overall TDM capacity.
No. 517, comsolmag.com/freeinfo
NMS Announces New
High-Density Analog Platform
Natural MicroSystems has a new high-density analog station solution
for IP telephony and call centers: the CX2000 series. Ideal for use
in call center apps, PC-PBXs, communications servers, IP telephony
gateways, and IP-PBXs using analog telephones, the CX2000 series
delivers advanced, high-density analog station interfaces for both
PCI and cPCI platforms.
No. 518, comsolmag.com/freeinfo
ICS Advent Unveils
Analog-To-Digital Converter Card
ICS Advent has introduced a new analog-to-digital converter
card, Model PCI-AI/1216. This new multifunction, high-speed card
provides customers with a cost-effective way to increase their data
acquisition capabilities as they monitor temperature, movement, and
other varying conditions.
No. 519, comsolmag.com/freeinfo |
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| Real
Comm 100: Now And In The Future
BY MIKE SETO
Brooktrout Technology's RealComm 100 is an open, standards-based
platform for developing computer telephony (CT) applications. It enables
developers to build electronic communications solutions for call centers,
interactive voice response systems, enhanced call services, automated
attendant, directory services, and unified messaging.
Release 1 of RealComm 100 includes Windows NT client and server
software which implements the S.100 Revision 2 specification, GUI-based
configuration management utilities, and GUI installation scripts. RealComm
100 supports the Windows NT operating system. Brooktrout plans to expand
RealComm support to Linux and Solaris in subsequent releases.
Brooktrout designed RealComm to ECTF Revision 2 specifications in order
to offer developers more than two years of ECTF enhancements, such as
features for auto reload and dynamic resource allocation. Using
performance optimization strategies, the RealComm 100 server delivers
scalability while minimizing system costs. Dynamic memory allocation and
thread utilization strategies significantly reduce system resource
requirements and CPU loading.
RealComm 100 facilitates distributed applications with efficient
communication between clients and servers. Key information such as symbol
tables is cached at the client during a session, thereby reducing
client/server overhead associated in configurations that involve multiple
client applications networked to one or more servers.
An advantage of working with Real Comm 100 is that changes or upgrades
can be made without stopping the server. Services such as file I/O or the
system call router are run as independent processes. The modularity of
services provides an architectural path to future distributed applications
across networks.
Brooktrout Technology's RealComm 100 features GUI-based online and
off-line configuration tools that support centralized, simultaneous
configuration of multiple servers across networks. Service levels on any
RealComm server can be reduced, stopped, started, and loaded with the ease
of a mouse click.
Mike Seto is VP of marketing for Brooktrout Technology. For more
information on the RealComm 100 SDK, please visit brooktrout.com.
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