Motorola develops embedded applications platform

Motorola’s Computer Group has developed an embedded applications platform that it says has the speed, flexibility and scalability to deliver multiple services connecting IP and ATM networks.

“What people have been struggling with – our customers, telecom equipment manufacturers – is the ability to handle all the plumbing in a single platform,” said Jeff Rhodes, business manager.

“We have incorporated general purpose processors, DSP (digital signal processor) technology and network processing, all playing in the same backplane with the ability now to pass packets and cells, frame relay and voice on the same platform,” he said.

According to Motorola, the integrated platform will “smooth the way” for telecom equipment vendors to develop advanced applications such as SS7 gateways, media/VoIP gateways, media gateway controllers, edge routers, soft switches and access gateways.

“It allows us to spend the time integrating the platform and our customers can worry the applications services they put on these platform,” Rhodes said. “We put it all together. We’re able to do control and management platform and handle the data load to bear the data traffic. We could not do that before.”

Equipment vendors typically had to do this type of integration on an individualized product basis, said Rhodes, noting that Motorola is “taking network processing to a new level.”

Early access units are expected by the fourth quarter of this year, with full production during the first quarter of 2002.