AdvancedTCA User Interview
With Bob Carrick, Fine Point Technologies
By Lance Leventhal, Technology Editor

1. Why did you choose AdvancedTCA?
Answer: Initially, we were simply looking for a NEBS Level 3 certified system to launch our PPPoE Access Concentrator (ServPoET) into the Tier 1 market space. When we were introduced to AdvancedTCA (before the specification was completed), we realized the potential of a standards based platform. It allowed us to compete against much larger companies such as Cisco Systems or Juniper Networks because the AdvancedTCA hardware gave us a strong base and rapid time-to-market. We were also able to take full advantage of an entire ecosystem of products.

2. What platform were you using previously and why did you decide to change?
Answer: We had looked at some boxes, but had not decided on anything. So we didn’t have an old platform to discard. The standards based AdvancedTCA platform made our choice of equipment very simple. We could then focus on our core competency, creating software solutions for Internet Service Providers to reduce calls and call time in call centers.

3. Are you using a vendor-supplied platform or developing one in-house? Why did you make this choice? If you are using a vendor-supplied platform, whose is it?
Answer: We are using a few vendor-supplied solutions. First and foremost, we are using a full solution from Intel, but we are working with Sun Microsystems as well. From Intel we use the 14U Shelf, the Chassis Management Modules, and the NetStructure Single Board Computers. Intel does not provide Base Fabric Switches, so we get them from Znyx. We are working with Sun to support their AMD based boards and then later their Solaris based boards.

4. How did you debug and test your AdvancedTCA system?
Answer: We do our testing with the Spirent Communications AX-4000 platform. We test total throughput on PPPoX terminated Subscriber Sessions as well as the total number of simultaneous subscriber connections. We use the Spirent platform for multiple protocol testing, including L2TP and ATM.

5. Have you encountered any interoperability issues?
Answer: Not so far. We have avoided them by working closely with our partners, such as Interphase, from whom we get our ATM PMC interfaces for AdvancedTCA.

6. How large is your system and how much throughput does it provide?
Answer: It supports 72,000 simultaneous subscriber Internet sessions with 6 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces.

7. Are you planning to use AdvancedMCs or MicroTCA?
Answer: We are considering MicroTCA to reduce size and cost. That platform could give smaller providers benefits similar to what the full size AdvancedTCA platform currently offers.

8. What is your opinion of AdvancedTCA? Will you use it in other products?
Answer: We actually have two products now supporting AdvancedTCA. The first, ServPoET, is basically a PPPoA termination unit (BRAS) for Residential Broadband Internet Access. The second is a TR-069 Auto Configuration Server (CWMP Device Manager) which gives service providers the ability to remotely manage and monitor their TR-069 CPE devices.

9. How has AdvancedTCA worked out in terms of effort and return on investment?
Answer: Very well. So far, we have four installed and sold field deployments. The development effort was easier than we had expected for a new platform. For ServPoET, we used all Intel boards and Linux-based software, so we had a solid, proven, well-understood base. Quality assurance was difficult since we had to generate large loads of subscribers and traffic, but the Spirent tools helped considerably.

10. What is the single most important piece of advice you would give to those planning similar projects?
Answer: Implementers of AdvancedTCA-based hardware should emphasize its advantages to potential customers. Sometimes, our products have lacked features that our competitors had, but they were not using AdvancedTCA and we won the orders because of the hardware itself. Customers like the fact that it is standards-based and modular.

Bob Carrick is Broadband Product Director at Fine Point Technologies.