The SPEED platform for programmable bearer channel processing
Marilyn G. Andrews, Charles C. Byers, Prudence T. Z. Kapauan, Trent R. Nanke, John L. Shepherd · Bell Labs Technical Journal · 2002
SPEED is a hardware and software platform gaining wide acceptance for use as the basis of many wireless, service node, and converged network applications in Lucent Technologies. It is optimized to provide high performance, scalability, and highly reliable bearer channel processing at industry-leading density and cost. It comprises a backplane, several types of circuit modules, and a suite of system software and application programming interfaces (APIs). The SPEED platform provides functions such as interfaces (for example, IP, ATM, and TDM at rates up to 622 Mb/s), bandwidth management, digital signal processing, protocol processing and adaptation, call control, feature control, and operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAM&P). This paper introduces programmable bearer channel processing platforms and discusses the history and architecture — both hardware and software — of the SPEED platform. It also includes five case studies of current SPEED applications in wireless and converged voice/data networks. The final section of this paper presents an overview of some future platform evolution work.