Protecting Telecom Equipment from “Heat Exhaustion”
by Chuck Hill, Continuous Computing

Telecom operators commonly expect at least 10 to 15 years of useful product life from their communications infrastructure, even today when technology changes very quickly. Besides having equipment deliver revenue-generating services and be easy to upgrade and scale, operators also want minimal downtime, no stress placed on components that could cause premature aging, and low maintenance costs with as few failures as possible.

That is to say, operators not only insist on value for money from their equipment, but also demand faster, more efficient, and ultimately more powerful technology to keep subscribers happy. The upshot is that “boxes” are consuming more power and churning out more heat than ever, which threatens their lifespan. You might say they suffer from “power obesity.” Even a chassis residing in an air conditioned central office, head end, or data center is not immune from the threat of rising temperatures. What happens if the air conditioning trips off or an air filter fails? Thousands of dollars worth of equipment could be ruined!

AdvancedTCA blades based on proper thermal design can help prevent such ugly scenarios from occurring. By understanding the airflow of power-packed AdvancedTCA cards, telecom equipment manufacturers can not only push the boundaries in terms of maximizing power and functionality, but can also protect against thermal overload. So, in addition to empowering carriers to offer the latest technology to as many end users as possible, AdvancedTCA enables operators to do so at a lower price per user thanks to higher reliability and thus lower maintenance costs.

Thermal design begins with effective use of lower-power or low-voltage processors combined with effective placement of heat-generating devices on a blade to ensure no components share the same air column. Such an approach achieves optimal airflow across the blade, and the rest is up to a complex system of thermal censoring and monitoring.

Ambient sensors monitor the general temperature of a board to ensure the airflow across it is not at risk from other heat in the chassis or from outside conditions. Meanwhile, each component generating over 25 watts has its own individual sensor. All sensors are linked to a single diagnostic system, which measures whether a board is operating within defined temperature parameters. If a sensor triggers an alert, the shelf management system automatically initiates corrective action, such as increasing fan speeds to solve a minor issue or shutting down the entire blade to prevent damage in the case of a major problem.

Although not mandated by the standards, thermal design is a key consideration when carriers are deploying AdvancedTCA systems — especially when operators are at the mercy of well-informed, demanding subscribers who will not tolerate less than excellent service. By reducing the time between failures and protecting technology from potentially terminal heat damage, carriers can reduce maintenance and engineering costs significantly while also extending the life and profitability of the entire system.

Chuck Hill is Chief Architect at Continuous Computing. You can reach him at chill@ccpu.com.