[April 8, 2002]

MontaVista Announces Linux Platform For Carrier-Grade Telecom Applications

MontaVista Software Inc. announced MontaVista Linux Carrier Grade Edition 2.1, a carrier-grade quality Linux distribution targeted for edge and core telecommunications including applications for the converging IP and voice networks, optical networks, signaling gateways and Voice over IP (VoIP) gateways, and many other applications.

"The market is demanding a Linux solution for telecommunications and MontaVista Software is being responsive to the market needs," said Jim Ready, president and CEO of MontaVista Software. "We are leveraging our significant expertise in providing telecommunications solutions to deliver a standards-based, open architecture software platform for the industry's next-generation telecommunications systems, which require virtually zero down time."

MontaVista Linux Carrier Grade Edition enhances standard Linux with additional high reliability and availability features for deployment in carrier-grade environments, and is designed specifically to address the needs of telecommunications equipment manufacturers. Based on a significant open source development project initiated by MontaVista Software with contributions from other open source projects, it provides kernel and driver hardening, monitoring and fault management services, and other carrier-grade features.

MontaVista Linux Carrier Grade Edition builds on the company's expertise in embedded Linux and high availability. The new product incorporates all the benefits of the MontaVista flagship product, MontaVista Linux Professional Edition, which includes a fully preemptive kernel and real-time scheduling, small footprint targets and journaling file systems. It also builds on key technologies from the MontaVista High Availability Framework, such as PICMG 2.12 hot swap capabilities (hot replace and hot insert), redundant Ethernet, and resource monitoring and event management subsystem.

"This MontaVista Linux release adds momentum to the emergence of Intel-based carrier-grade solutions," said Scott Richardson, general manager of Intel's Network Processing Group. "Telecommunications customers need fast and cost-effective access to high-performance, highly available platforms. The combination of modular Intel building blocks, MontaVista's Linux expertise and its ongoing alignment with emerging OSDL specifications will give these customers the levels of flexibility and time-to-market they require."

"Telecommunications equipment manufacturers want to deliver affordable next-generation solutions at a faster time-to-market," said Jane Munn, vice president, IBM Global Telecommunications. "Carrier-grade Linux, with its open interfaces and leading-edge technology, will help bring these solutions to telecommunications customers. By working with the IBM Linux Technology Center, MontaVista Software is moving aggressively to enable carrier-grade Linux-based solutions that meet the stringent requirements of the core network infrastructure."

MontaVista Software has a strong commitment to providing carrier-grade solutions and is actively participating in several industry initiatives to define carrier-grade and high availability standards. These include the OSDL Carrier Grade Linux Working Group (which includes Intel, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, Nokia and Alcatel as members) and the Service Availability Forum (which includes Compaq, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Nokia, Radisys and Force as members). As specifications from these organizations emerge, MontaVista is committed to incorporating these into its Carrier Grade Edition product.

"The availability of an open Linux platform that addresses the requirements of the telecommunications industry is a major step in moving Linux and open source software technology into these important applications," said Tim Witham, OSDL lab director. "MontaVista's participation in the OSDL's Carrier Grade Linux Working Group shows its commitment to the development of common building blocks to allow software and hardware vendors maximum control over their products and time-to-market."

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