Six global network equipment providers (NEPs) have allied to promote open carrier grade base platforms. SCOPE, founded by Alcatel, Ericsson, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, and Siemens, will create subsets of existing standards, such as Carrier Grade Linux (CGL), with the aim of promoting open platforms among constituents' service provider customers, it says.

The six NEPs that founded SCOPE say the group does not plan to create specifications of its own. Instead, it hopes to complement the work of existing standards bodies by creating “profiles” — subsets of existing standards that define technical and interface requirements for specific service provider applications.

SCOPE profiles will themselves be open and public. They will be based on specifications defined by the OSDL (Open Source Development Labs), PICMG (PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group), and the SA Forum (Service Availability Forum), among others. SCOPE's initial profiles will define operating systems compliant with a subset of the OSDL's CGL specification, hardware compliant with a subset of the PICMG's Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture (ATCA) specification, and high-availability middleware compliant with a subset of the SA Forum's interface specifications. It hopes to release its first profiles in Q1 of this year.

SCOPE will also work to promote interoperability, it says, by helping to identify areas where additional standards work is needed. It hopes its efforts will increase service providers' use of open, standards-compliant products.

SCOPE Chairman Timo Jokiaho stated, “Creating carrier grade profiles will enable the network equipment provider ecosystem to develop and manufacture hardware and software building blocks and platforms with higher volumes, thus lowering costs.”

Ken Rehbehn, research director for telecom infrastructure at Current Analysis, said, “SCOPE promises to be a very positive collaboration by many of the telecommunication industry leaders — an effort that looks at standards produced by a number of specification bodies, and clarifies what is vital to the industry.”

Tim Kober, SA Forum president, added, “It is my opinion that SCOPE will serve to accelerate innovation and increase efficiency.”

Companies interested in contributing are invited to join. Additional details can be found here.

 
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