An industry group comprised primarily of NEPs (network equipment providers) has gained eight members, swelling its ranks to more than two dozen. New Scope Alliance members include providers of virtualization software, high availability middleware, and telecom-oriented Linux operating systems, along with Nortel, one of the last major NEPs to join.

Scope publishes Linux “profiles” aimed at refining the Linux Foundation's Carrier Grade Linux specification, in order to promote interoperability between the Linux implementations that NEPs typically pre-install on systems supplied to TEMs (telecommunications equipment manufacturers). The organization was founded in January of 2006, by Alcatel, Ericsson, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, and Siemens, and published its most recent Linux Profile 1.2 in April of this year.

The new members, as described by Scope, include:

• CorEdge Networks — a supplier of ATCA/MicroTCA/AMC/IPMI compliant infrastructure products
• Enea — a vendor of real-time operating systems, middleware, development tools, database technology, and professional services for high-availability systems
• GE Fanuc Embedded Systems — a board and chassis supplier to telecom and other embedded industries
• Nortel — among the last “leading global NEPs” to join Scope, the organization suggests
• PrismTech — supplies middleware, productivity tools, and professional services around distributed systems and embedded real-time devices
• Red Hat — a top provider of Linux in the telecommunications market
• Ulticom — a provider of “standards-based, carrier-grade signaling” products
• VirtualLogix — a supplier of processor virtualization stacks for embedded devices and equipment

Magnus Karlson, Scope chairman, stated, “The resources, experience, area expertise, and perspective added can generate timely results.”

Sita Lowman, Nortel's leader of carrier core marketing, stated, “The Scope Alliance provides developers and ecosystem vendors clear direction which greatly enhances the applicability of final products.”

 
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