Computer Telephony Integration
Computer Telephony Integration
Overview
Over the years, various standards and specifications have been adopted to propel
CTI technology. Recently, a new generation of standards emerged, at the
forefront of which is CompactPCI.
CompactPCI is a new standard for computer backplane architecture and
peripheral integration, defined and developed by the peripheral component
interconnect (PCI) industrial computers manufacturers group (PICMG) and
capable of dramatically raising the stakes in the world of computer telephony.
Combining the practicalities and real-world economics of the conventional
personal computer (PC) world with the kind of features long-demanded by telcos,
CompactPCI sets the standard for a new generation of CTI products. For the first
time, integrators can cheaply and efficiently build rugged, high-density systems
with the added advantage of hot swappability.
Topics
1. Background and Beginnings
2. A New Standard
3. The CompactPCI Backplane
4. Connectivity and Capacity
5. Secure Access: the Key to Operational Convenience
6. The Hot Swappability Revolution
7. Software, Integration, and Processes
8. References
Self-Test
Correct Answers
Glossary
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2. A New Standard
CompactPCI and PCI technologies have emerged from the search for a standard
interface between peripherals on PCcompatible CPUs and backplanes. In
keeping with the requirements for true interoperability, the PICMG, which is an
independent and cooperative consortium of vendors and manufacturers, has
overseen the development of these specifications.
The PICMG is primarily focused on the evolution and development of
specifications for PCI and CompactPCI products, and the diversity of
membership ensures that all interested parties can be represented and that
interoperability can be maintained to produce a common specification, accessible
to all.
PICMG specifications define hardware practices. Software communication and
bus architecture, however, have been defined by a second independent interest
group, the Enterprise Computer Telephony Forum (ECTF). The ECTF was
founded to converge the plethora of competing standards for computer telephony
(CT) buses and to improve interoperability between manufacturers. Essential to
this process is introducing better notions of scalability, so that solutions can be
built to serve the needs of different environments while utilizing the same core
technology. To this end, the ECTF has produced two specifications for hardware
and software bus interfaces: H.100 and H.110, also known as CT buses. The two
organizations work in tandem to develop all aspects of the CompactPCI standard.
The PCI standard is a bus standard developed for PCs by Intel that can transfer
data between the CPU and card peripherals at much faster rates than are possible
via the ISA bus (e.g., about 132 Mbps as opposed to 5 Mbps). PCI was originally
designed for standardizing the interfaces available on chips to be used on PC
compatible peripherals and was unique in that it utilized silicon. Importantly,
PCI was designed with limitations to the maximum capacity of the bus and to the
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This rigid definition is in contrast with the multiplicity of arrangements that have
existed in previous systems and further assists the interoperability of the
standard (see Figure 1).
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There are five connectors in total. J1 always acts as the 32-bit PCI bus interface.
This is used by both the 3U and 6U board versions. J3, J4, and J5 are allocated
for input and output signal distribution and, amongst them, offer a total of 315 2mm connector pins. They are not present on 3Ucard varieties. J2 offers an
additional 32-bit bus interface as an option. Hence, when it is utilized, a total bus
of 64-bits is available. Taken together, J1 and J2 constitute the CompactPCI bus
and J3, J4, and J5 constitute the local or subbus. The subbus may itself be broken
down, given that J4 specifically provides access to the H.110 bus, while J5
provides access to other external input and output signals. J5 will be explored in
more detail in subsequent sections.
This subbus enables multiple boards to communicate with each other quickly and
efficiently. In telephony applications, this is particularly important, as it allows
rapid transfer of data between cards in a system. Furthermore, the simplicity of
design is in contrast to the complexity of ISA or VME systems (see Figure 2).
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secured to the rear portion. Technically, the rear card is known as a break-out or
transition board.
The transition board is connected to the front-panel card via a mirror image of
the connection interface utilized by the front card. All of the input and output
interfaces for a particular rear or front combination are presented through the J5
connector pair of each, which passes across the CompactPCI backplane (see
Figure 3).
Figure 3. Transition Board
The elegance of this system is underlined by the fact that, once again,
interoperability is assured, for the IEEE 1101.11 specification defines the
characteristics of the rear input and output transition card and indicates that this
card should connect to that of the front panel. The transition card has a
maximum depth of 80 mm, which ensures that the depth of a CompactPCI
system will not exceed 300 mm. CompactPCI systems may thus be used in spacesensitive environments, particularly as they retain the small footprint that made
19-inch, rack-mounted PC systems so popular.
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do or, conversely, lose contact before others do so. Finally, each card is secured in
place via a lever that clips into position at the front or rear of the chassis unit.
The procedure essentially follows a predictable sequence. When a card is selected
for extraction, the lever is raised or released. This action breaks a contact on
some associated circuitry and sends a signal to the controlling software, which, in
turn, signals that a particular card is being prepared for extraction. Hence, the
system can redirect processes elsewhere. Once the withdrawal process begins,
certain pins will lose contact with their mates before others. In fact, there are
three lengths defined by the standard. The shortest will obviously lose contact
first, which sends a signal to the control system indicating that the card is being
removed. Thus, power-down procedures can be initiated.
When a card is being inserted, the longest pins make contact first, thereby
generating a signal that instructs the system to begin delivering power to the
card. As the shortest make contact, further signals are generated that inform the
system that the board is now fully in place and that all of the power-up
procedures can be completed. The medium-length pins make contact as the
initial charges are being applied to the card, and the PCI chip resumes operation.
Closure of the security lever completes the process.
The PICMG specification defines the signals associated with each event that
developers use to build hot swappability into their applications. This activity
demands close monitoring at a high level to ensure that any applications in
service take all necessary actions to divert resources away from the removed card
or to allocate resources to an inserted card. Thus, developers must be extremely
diligent.
A further consideration involves timing. All telecommunications systems are
either synchronized to an external clock source or generate a clock source that
must be distributed to other equipment via the telecommunications network.
Telecommunications equipment does not usually accommodate several clock
sources. If the card to be removed is the card that is responsible for distributing
the timing signal across the system, synchronization may be lost, causing the
system to run free. However, the CompactPCI bus enables the reception of two
timing signals. Hence, if one source is lost, a secondary source can be provided to
ensure that the system remains appropriately synchronized.
In mission-critical systems such as those experienced in the telecommunications
industry, such capabilities have great importance, and their availability in such
systems will undoubtedly prove to be revolutionary.
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common to the entire system, while peripheral chips appear to system software
as though they are co-located with chips on the CPU of a standard PC. This
situation has several implications.
First, it means that no barrier exists to running software and processes that have
evolved in the desktop world on CompactPCI systems; software can readily be
ported from one platform to another, which represents an essential savings in
time and money.
Second, provided a peripheral is CompactPCI compliant, it can be integrated into
a CompactPCI platform. Integrators can simply choose devices from a vast array
of vendors and plug them into their systems. In telecommunications applications,
a wide variety of interfaces can be supported on the same platform, as they
simply become resources within the same system and peripherals to the
CompactPCI bus.
A further benefit is the fact that a wide range of operating systems can be
supported within a CompactPCI system. Most operating systems that run on a PC
will run on CompactPCI systems without further modification. Furthermore,
developers can select the processor they require based on preference alone. This
wide range of compatibility makes it a relatively straightforward task for
developers to build CompactPCI systems or to transfer from one technology to
another. It also confers a degree of future proofing to system design. Because all
system components are peripherals of the CompactPCI bus, individual
components may readily be replaced without causing disruption to the system as
a whole.
Given the capabilities of this new technology, it is useful to review the
applications to which it can be directed. As previously indicated, PCbased
systems built around various kinds of network interfaces (e.g., E1, T1,
asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], and IP) are already common. Despite their
ever-growing sophistication, reliability, and cost effectiveness, such systems have
not always been validated by certain sections of the industry. Conversely, other
parties have cheerfully accepted the limitations of such systems. Developers have
been positioned somewhere in between, trying to reconcile the demands of each
communityon the one hand for cost-effective functionality and on the other for
telco-grade reliability.
There is no doubt that PC solutions have answered many of the arguments
against them, but objections will still be raised in some quarters. However,
CompactPCI changes all of this. It offers the best of both worlds (i.e., the
opportunity to develop complex systems in a cost-effective manner while
addressing the issues of reliability that are raised against the PC world).
Developers have a tremendous opportunity to offer telco-grade equipment using
technologies that have evolved from PCs. Rugged, fault-tolerant, reliable, and
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8. References
1. Davidson, R. "CompactPCI Technology Update," VMEbus Systems, October
1997.
2. Davidson, R. "How Compatible Is Compact PCI or, What Works with What?"
CompactPCI Systems, Fall 1998.
3. Fischer, W. "CompactPCI Systems Corner," CompactPCI Systems, Winter
1997.
4. Fischer, W. "CompactPCI Specifications Corner," CompactPCI Systems,
Spring 1998.
5. Fischer, W. "CompactPCI Specifications Corner," CompactPCI Systems, Fall
1998.
6. Harrison, D. K. & Honey, J. "CompactPCI System Management," CompactPCI
Systems, JanuaryFebruary 1999.
7. Medeiros, J. "CompactPCI Technology Update," CompactPCI Systems, Spring
1998.
8. Newton, H. "Newton's Telecom Dictionary," Flatiron, 1998.
9. Pavlat, J. "CompactPCI and Computer Telephony," CompactPCI Systems,
Winter 1997.
10. Pavlat, J. "Keying CompactPCI Backplanes and Boards," CompactPCI
Systems, Spring, 1998.
11. Pavlat, J. & Waltz, E. "The CompactPCI Report: Rear Panel I/O," CompactPCI
Systems, Fall 1998.
12. Pavlat, J. "CompactPCI Report," VMEbus Systems, April 1997.
13. Pavlat, J. "CompactPCI Revision 2.2: Expanding the Possibilities," VMEbus
Systems, June 1997.
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Self-Test
1. What is a bus?
a. a mode of transport
b. a vehicle
c. a means of communication between peripherals
2. Which of the following is not an intercard bus?
a. MVIP
b. SBSC
c. PEB
3. Which organization is responsible for originating hardware standards for
CompactPCI?
a. PCIMG
b. PCMGI
c. PICMG
4. Which organization is responsible for defining software bus architectures for
CompactPCI?
a. ECGF
b. ENTF
c. ECTF
5. What is the bandwidth of the ISA bus?
a. 15 Mbps
b. 10 Mbps
c. 5 Mbps
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12. Which connector is used as the interface between the front and rear modules
of a CompactPCI card?
a. J3
b. J4
c. J5
13. A compactPCI chassis has a physical footprint of________inches.
a. 19
b. 22
c. 25
14. Hot swap works because of which of the following?
a. the connector pins of the CompactPCI cards are of different lengths
b. the cards are robust
c. the cards are the right size
Correct Answers
1. What is a bus?
a. a mode of transport
b. a vehicle
c. a means of communication between peripherals
See Topic 1.
2. Which of the following is not an intercard bus?
a. MVIP
b. SBSC
c. PEB
See Topic 1.
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See Topic 4.
8. Which connector acts as the PCI bus interface?
a. J1
b. J2
c. J3
See Topic 4.
9. Which connector acts as the H.110 bus interface?
a. J2
b. J3
c. J4
See Topic 4.
10. How many cards can a standard CompactPCI bus support?
a. 6
b. 7
c. 8
See Topic 4.
11. How many cards can be supported on the largest single-chassis ISA systems?
a. 28
b. 30
c. 32
See Topic 4.
12. Which connector is used as the interface between the front and rear modules
of a CompactPCI card?
a. J3
b. J4
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c. J5
See Topic 5.
13. A compactPCI chassis has a physical footprint of________inches.
a. 19
b. 22
c. 25
See Topic 5.
14. Hot swap works because of which of the following?
a. the connector pins of the CompactPCI cards are of different
lengths
b. the cards are robust
c. the cards are the right size
See Topic 6.
Glossary
ACD
automatic call distributor
ATM
asynchronous transfer mode
CPU
central processing unit
CT
computer telephony
CTI
computer telephony integration
DSP
digital signal processor
ECTF
enterprise computer telephony forum
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EMC
electromagnetic capability
IEEE
institute of electrical and electronic engineers
ISA
industry standard architecture
MVIP
multivendor integration protocol
PCI
peripheral component interconnect
PCM
pulse code modulation
PEB
PCM expansion bus
PICMG
PCI industrial computers manufacturers group
SCSA
signal computing system architecture
TMC
time-division multiplexer
VME
VersaModule Europe
VOIP
voice over Internet protocol
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