Enea is readying the second major version of its high-availability middleware for heterogeneous telecommunications environments. Element 2.0, shipping now for Enea's OSE RTOS, is expected to gain Linux support in Q4, with initial support for MontaVista Carrier Grade Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Fedora Core, and CentOS (Community ENTerprise OS).

Element comprises a suite of middleware services that sits between the operating system and applications. These services include synchronizing, instrumenting, monitoring, and establishing communications between applications distributed across multiple operating systems and processors. Additionally, Element provides network supervision, fault management, and shelf management services, Enea says.

Element architecture diagram
Enea says that Element provides “all of the services required to build a true non-stop computing platform” and ensure the health of key hardware and software components at the system, slot, and application levels. Included services include fault management, active heartbeat monitoring, and reactive error detection.

Element originally was limited to supporting Enea's OSE RTOS (real-time operating system), but the company ported it to Linux last spring. Now, equipment providers can use the middleware to combine Linux with RTOSes such as OSE, the company says.

Another touted benefit of Element is its ability to be deployed on DSPs and NPUs (network processor units), as well as on 32-bit CPUs. This is said to simplify application development by providing a single API that can be used to “partition, distribute, and manage applications spread across multiple processors, blades, and operating systems.”

Element 2.0 features “out of the box” support for Kontron's XL8000 (pictured at right), a 12-U NEBS-compliant (network equipment building system) AdvancedTCA chassis. Element 2.0 provides “standard interfaces for AdvancedTCA and SA Forum's Hardware Platform Interface,” according to the company.

Element utilizes Enea's open-sourced LINX communications services, and plays a central role in Enea's NASP (network application services platform) offering, an integrated software stack aimed at network and telcom equipment providers.

NASP architecture diagram
Terry Pearson, Enea's VP of product management for Element, stated, “Element makes it easy for network equipment providers to outsource their middleware development, freeing up precious engineering resources for more profitable tasks such as application and service development. Element's versatile Linux support and standard SA Forum and ATCA interfaces make it easier than ever to integrate Element with open architecture target hardware platforms and legacy applications.”

Availability

Element 2.0 is available now for OSE, with a Linux version expected to reach general availability in Q4 of this year. Pricing starts at $100,000.

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