San Jose, CA — (press release excerpt) — Force Computers today announced its preconfigured Centellis CO 25000-9U system with redundant Pentium III processor based single board computers (SBCs), Linux operating system (OS), redundant Layer 2 Ethernet switches, complete SNMP remote management support for all SBCs/switches and preinstalled GoAhead High Availability (HA) middleware.

Compliant to PICMG 2.16, the CompactPCI Packet-Switching Backplane (cPSB) standard, this preconfiguration scales to 14 SBCs per chassis — up to 28 mounted back-to-back — offering a high-density footprint of HA server functionality — a prerequisite for next-generation network (NGN) applications. And measuring 10 inches (about 255mm) deep, its chassis complies with ETSI building practices as well as NEBS Level 3 requirements.

In defining the hardware and software comprising Force's High Availability Architecture (HA2) platform initiative with its HA management/communication services and application programming interfaces (APIs), room's left for flexible implementation, allowing scalability of performance, function and even availability of applications. HA requirements can then map to HA features for a cost-effective implementation, resulting in the best possible price/performance point. Since many open standards exist isolated from one another, HA2 takes a new approach. Creating a framework for interoperability of standards, HA2 itself defines a “standard” for HA solutions. Its requirements protect against technology evolution, enabling transparent platform migration, ensuring product longevity and securing technology investments — especially costly software applications.

Compliant to PICMG 2.16, the Centellis CO 25000-9U preconfigured with Pentium III processors, Linux and GoAhead middleware scales to 28 processor nodes via back-to-back implementation (minus rear I/O) in 9U footprint/600mm depth. It also has . . .

• Preinstalled cluster manager for all processor nodes
  
• IPMI platform management (PICMG 2.9)
  
• Fully redundant, hot-swappable hardware
  
• HA storage solutions

Based on Force's HA2 architecture, the Centellis CO 25000-9U preconfigured with GoAhead HA middleware provides APIs compatible with and upgradeable to more highly available platforms in the HA2 series. It's an immediately deployable system as well as an ideal development platform for high-density HA applications, including softswitches, third generation (3G) wireless and NGN applications in need of portability.

GoAhead SelfReliant 7500 is a comprehensive, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) Service Availability middleware solution designed for a wide range of communication network equipment. This cross-platform product automatically monitors and manages all critical hardware, OS and software components — individually and collectively — to enable 99.999-percent-plus system uptime and uninterrupted services.

Two Centellis CO 25000-9U preconfigured PICMG 2.16, HA systems — one with rear transition board support and one without — in ETSI-compliant, 10-inch-deep chassis will be available through Force's Early Access Unit (EAU) program in Q2 2002 with volume shipments in Q3 2002. Systems can deploy back-to-back in NEBS Level 3-design enclosures, resulting in high-density computing configurations — ideal for telecom and NGN applications. OEM prices start at $15,500 for dual redundant Pentium III processor-based preconfigurations with HA middleware. All monetary amounts are stated in U.S. dollars.

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