Parama Networks selects Enea's OSE Real-Time Operating System for use in SONET/SDH optical transport reference system.

Enea Embedded Technology has announced that Parama Networks has selected the OSE Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) for use in its Mx-40 SONET/SDH optical transport reference system.

The Mx-40 is a reference platform for network equipment manufacturers who want to develop efficient, low-cost equipment for next-generation SONET and SDH services, multiservice provisioning platform (MSPP), and multi-service transport platform (MSTP) applications. Based on Parama's PNI8040 "ADM-on-a-chip," the modular, rack-mountable platform consumes just 100W and provides a complete SONET/SDH ADM (add-drop multiplexer) solution in a 2RU form factor.

The Mx-40 features dual 10-Gbit/sec XFP line interfaces, eight multi-rate SFP tributary interfaces, and software-programmable multi-rate tributary interfaces for OC-3/12/48 traffic. The system also features a complete software development environment, a reference element management system, redundant 48V power, external clocking, a TL-1 Craft interface, alarm contacts, and a network management interface.

OSE hosts all of the Mx-40's system and application code. It monitors and responds to alarms for key parameters such as temperature and bit error rates. It also provides protection switching for the Mx-40's line and tributary interfaces in the event that one of the links fails. OSE's deterministic real-time response is critical here, enabling the system to detect a link failure and switch to a new link much faster than the 50-msec upper limit specified by Telcordia.

The Mx-40's modular architecture and OSE-hosted Parama software tools make it easy for telecom OEMs to evaluate system behavior and performance and quickly build new SONET/ SDH ADM equipment based on the PNI8040 ADM-on-a-Chip. Equipment manufacturers can quickly assess different combinations of GFP, PHY, and optics components before committing to a specific design. The Mx-40 also allows engineers to prototype different feature sets and evaluate design tradeoffs on working carrier-grade equipment, which allows them to lock in their design specifications and bring products to market faster.

Parama cited a number of key factors in their selection of OSE. Chief among these was OSE's memory protection services, which enable the system to reliably run multiple processes in protected spaces. They also cited OSE's guaranteed real-time response, which is critical for protection switching and hot standby, and message-based interprocess communications support, which makes it easy to create scalable multiprocessor systems based on their ADM-on-a-Chip family.

"When looking for a real-time operating system for our reference designs, we wanted something that was bulletproof and scaleable, with a small footprint," said Srinivasan Murari, executive director of software development for Parama Networks. "Even in the R&D departments, our network equipment customers have very stringent reliability requirements, and OSE plays a key role in building a resilient system. We also found OSE's message-passing interprocess communications architecture very attractive. Our system-on-a-chip solutions can be scaled in multi-chip implementations for large transport equipment designs, and OSE message passing makes it much easier to scale multiprocessor systems."

"The integration of a 40-Gbit/sec ADM on a single chip is a remarkable accomplishment, and a big win for telecom equipment manufacturers who want to build high-density, low-cost SONET/SDH systems," said Adrian Leufven, vice president of marketing at Enea Embedded Technology AB. "OSE's memory protection, hard real-time response, and development support make it a perfect fit for OEMs who want to build high-availability optical transport systems based on the Mx-40 and PNI8040 ADM chip."