[Asterisk-Dev] IBM/SGI implementations

[Nick Bachmann]

John Todd wrote:

> [new thread started]

[...]

> There was commentary in a private discussion about the IBM Power5 
> eServer OpenPower 720 platform, which can be configured in a 4-way 
> design with SUSE Linux (perhaps also YDL?)  Getting Zap drivers to 
> work with a DS3 card in this architecture might even result in a 
> do-it-all platform that can even transcode 672 channels into a 
> high-complexity codec.  I haven't the slightest idea if it will work 
> or not, or if it's "better" than competing chipset/vendor 
> implementations, but it looks promising and I'm hoping that someone 
> might have news of this as a follow-up to this thread (you know who 
> you are.)


These are the kinds of machines that this architecture would have to 
rely on--cost-effective big machines with fast interconnect that can 
effectively share resources and have (relatively) small footprints.  
Otherwise, you might as well go buy a 5E-XS or a DMS.  Off the top of my 
head, the companies that make such machines include:
*IBM
*SGI
*Sun
*Cray
*HP
*Unisys
*Fujitsu

> I hadn't thought about SGI.  Do they have any special hardware tricks 
> up their sleeves for perhaps doing codec transcoding in a more 
> efficient manner than in the "generic" main CPU?


I believe the SGI philosophy in their Altix machines is "use a lot of 
Itaniums and share resources really well."

> Of course, the trick (as Race noted in the introduction to his DS3 
> thread) is getting the following components to the right place at the 
> right time for any new implementation:
>
>   - a demonstration platform (supplied by the vendor or VAR)


My personal opinion is that Sun machines would be a perfect choice for 
this architecture, for a couple of reasons.  First, Asterisk on Solaris 
is already mostly working (although the drivers aren't, but if we're 
coding a new DS-3 driver, that isn't immediately important).  Second, 
Sun makes a full line of NEBS machines and has a significant presence in 
the telco market already.  Solaris is a stable and solid OS, and 10 
includes DTrace.  While not fully open source, Sun is very forthright 
about the internals and offers some code access. Finally, Sun boxen can 
be picked up cheap to start developing with.  For about $2000, you can 
own a brand new UltraSPARC box + Solaris 10.  Once you've got something 
working with that, you at least have some leverage to get a bigger box 
to work with, as a lot of the coding work is already done and you've got 
it working on the same base hardware.

>   - a very competent Linux-oriented C coder who is familiar with Asterisk


and TDM coding, and who has access to testing equipment... (I'm told 
that not everybody has an in-home SONET ring)

>   - time


And probably some coding help, too.

>   - motivation (in the form of money, glory, fame, whatever)


Yes, and good luck to that person! :-)

Nick