ECI ShadeTree System Software

ECI service edge routers are powered by a new and innovative operating system designed from the ground up for multi-service networking, ECI ShadeTree System software. ECI engineers designed ShadeTree in-house, tailoring every aspect of the system for maximum reliability, scalability and service flexibility. The resulting software delivers unmatched edge routing and switching performance.

Following are the key architectural features of ShadeTree:

· Redundant architecture enables hitless software upgrades and high availability operation
· Separate processes handle routing, management, and forwarding
· Processes are distributed across multiple processors through the system
· Each process uses multiple threads to prioritize tasks
· Object-oriented design maximizes flexibility while simplifying service management

Redundant Architecture

The ShadeTree architecture is fully redundant and distributed. The primary processes that control system management, routing protocols and switching protocols run on dual redundant Route Control Processors (RCPs). State is maintained between the primary and secondary RCPs, allowing the secondary processor to assume operation of the system if the primary processor fails. Since the forwarding tables and link management functions are distributed to ST-series Network Processor Blades (NPBs), this failover is transparent to packet forwarding or link management.

Multi-Threaded Process

ShadeTree software includes multiple, independent processes to maximize efficiency and scalability, protect against system corruption and eliminate a single point of failure. This is critical to ensure stable and reliable operation under extreme network conditions. Fault isolation and memory protection occur between each software process and the system kernel to protect the kernel (which links all system process) and other processes from corruption in the event of a single process failure. This modular design ensures no one process can consume all CPU resources, while preventing a single process failure from initiating a chain of events that could dramatically impact system performance.

· Route Control Process (RCP): controls routing protocols and MPLS label allocation, maintains routing information, performs routing policy, manages processes on ST-series hardware and sends operational information to the CLI (command line interface) and element manger.

. Configuration Process: manages the configuration database and performs configuration operations. It responds to and propagates configuration change requests to the rest of the system

· SNMP Process: controls and manages all SNMP requests for ST200 operation monitoring via SNMP read access

· Command Line Interface (CLI): primary interface used to access, configure and monitor the ST-series via a console or remotely via telnet or secure shell. The CLI operates in operational and configuration mode

· Process Manager: monitors and verifies the state of all system processes. It automatically restarts processes if issues are discovered, and also is responsible for initially starting system processes

In-house Development and Testing

ShadeTree software was designed in-house by developers with years of experience building Internet-class routers. To ensure the ability of ShadeTree software to operate in the world's largest service provider networks, extensive interoperability testing has been conducted at leading carriers, industry events and in our multi-million dollar Quality Without Compromise test facility, which simulates a carrier network in a complete multi-vendor environment.

ECI has dedicated such extensive resources to interoperability testing because architecting products according to published standards specifications is not a guarantee of interoperability with the core and access products deployed in complex carrier networks. ECI began interoperability testing with routing code from other vendors and within service provider labs at the earliest stages of development. That rigorous process has resulted in ST-series deployment in the world's largest multi-vendor service provider networks.

Just as interoperability testing is critical for building a working, carrier-class device, so is the presence of rigorous quality assurance (QA) processes throughout the development process. Over 25% of engineering resources and millions of dollars in test and vendor equipment have been invested to create ECI's multi-stage QWC test process, which scales from individual feature-level testing to a full-scale carrier network simulation and tests both the control plane and the data plane. As a result, every product or software upgrade that leaves ECI Telecom is ready for deployment in the world's largest service provider networks.

Conclusion

ECI ShadeTree software was designed from the ground-up for the multi-service edge. ECI ShadeTree software was engineered specifically for maximum system reliability, scalability and service flexibility. As a result, ECI ShadeTree delivers the unmatched edge routing and switching performance required by the world's largest service provider networks.