Digital Equipment Corporation has announced the availability of the AlphaServer Intelligent Peripheral (IP) Version 2.0 platform, a high-performance, standards-based general purpose computer designed specifically for use in mission-critical wireline and wireless network environments.
The AlphaServer IP V2.0 platform includes Intelligent Network (IN) technology from Digital and Computer Telephony (CT) technology from Dialogic, and is used in the development of enhanced services such as pre-paid calling, unified messaging, virtual call centre, and televoting applications, among others.
New V2.0 features include:
- Client/server implementation scaleable to thousands of ports; a single AlphaServer 1000A, 400 MHz CPU supports up to 384 ports in a simplex configuration
- Network-centric Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) fault management supports a visual and audible alarm capability
- DIGITAL UNIX Version 4.0D for full Year 2000 compliance
- Full Ethernet, Token Ring and FDDI network support
According to Brian Henry, senior consultant at Digital SA: "The AlphaServer IP Version 2.0 platform offers telecom service providers with a flexible building-block approach. Digital has a wide variety of high availability solutions that are supported by multiple network configurations, flexible storage requirements, fault management, and power options designed for the central office environment. This is particularly important for independent software vendors (ISVs) like Amarex, telecom equipment manufacturers (TEMs) such as Nokia and value-added resellers (VARs) like Sema Group Telecoms, that require unique configurations for custom application development or turnkey application deployment."
Henry added that Telecom service providers (TSPs) are demanding more powerful general purpose computers based on IN and CT standards to support the bundling of services, and quicker time to market, along with high availability and scalability. The Digital AlphaServer IP platform client/server implementation was scaled to more than 1500 ports in a distributed client/server benchmark. The duplex implementation provides the high-availability configuration needed for mission critical applications; the simplex configuration is ideal for network and/or lab environments. Based on a building-block approach, the Digital platform provides both performance and capacity where and when needed.
"Dialogic`s industry-leading voice, fax, speech recognition and network interface digital signal processing (DSP) technology has successfully been integrated with the Digital AlphaServer Voice Programme since 1994 and is being used in major telecommunications networks worldwide," said Tony Roug, director of Advanced Network Services for Dialogic, and member of the INForum board of Directors.
"Digital and Dialogic are recognised leaders in providing internationally supported and integrated computer telephony solutions. A clear advantage is our ability to provide a broad portfolio of technology and application partners on the Digital 64-bit AlphaServer Voice and IP platforms ensuring cost-effective product development and maximum return on investment."
"Proprietary alternatives are simply too expensive or have little flexibility to support product enhancements, and are generally more difficult to maintain," Henry said. "The NEBS-compatible central office ready AlphaServer IP V2.0 platform, based on Digital UNIX V4.0, provides TSPs with investment protection allowing the solution to grow as the business grows. For example, the AlphaServer IP platform can be expanded by adding more processing power, more storage capacity, and/or a larger breadth of applications."
The AlphaServer IP V2.0 platform is currently available with telephony interfaces (T1/E1 and analogue); data interfaces (ISDN PRI, SS7, and ISUP), and power supply options (120, 240 or -48 volt).
Digital and Dialogic are founding members of the ECTF (Enterprise Computer Telephony Forum), and are members of the INF (Intelligent Network Forum) Board of Directors providing industry leadership based on open standards.
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