IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) is a next-generation network (NGN) architecture that was originally defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). It expands opportunities for the telecom industry by:
- Enabling service providers to deploy new multimedia services
- Simplifying the network architecture by moving to IP and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) as a basis of any communication
- Facilitating fixed-mobile convergence
Maximize the benefits of IMS with IBM systems
The IMS infrastructure must be able to scale and adapt over time — freeing service providers to focus on differentiated services instead of focusing on the underlying infrastructure to support those services.
Our BladeCenter product line of servers provides a single, open-standards-based architecture that can be deployed in the data center or central office. That deployment flexibility provides an IMS solution that can be simpler to manage and less costly to operate. BladeCenter meets the compute-density and high-availability requirements necessary to build a carrier-grade IMS solution. With a large and growing ecosystem of IMS solutions available today, BladeCenter provides a flexible and cost-effective platform on which to build IMS-based services.
IBM BladeCenter
The modular and scalable IBM BladeCenter product line helps enable an IMS infrastructure by supporting these key IMS-architecture requirements:
- Integrated solutions. Our Integrated Platform for Telecommunications (IP-T) provides a pre-tested offering, enabling companies to deploy IMS services quickly and cost-effectively.
- Compute density. BladeCenter is designed to support large numbers of compute-intensive services. With support for newest-generation processors, like the Intel® 3.80GHz Xeon, BladeCenter supports up to 14 dual-CPU servers in a 7-U space.
- I/O Density. BladeCenter H enables up to a 10X bandwidth increase, with the capability of providing more than 40 Gbps of data to each blade. In addition, SBS Technologies has teamed with IBM to launch an AdvancedMC Carrier Blade for IBM BladeCenter servers to support today's I/O-intensive applications.
- Flexible architecture. BladeCenter can be deployed in the central office or data center, and supports high-performance Intel, AMD, IBM POWER™ and Cell™ Broadband Engine-based processors, as well as Linux®, IBM AIX®, Microsoft® Windows® and Solaris operating systems - all in one chassis.
- Carrier grade. BladeCenter-T is fully NEBS- and ETSI-compliant and supports SAF-compliant, high-availability middleware.
- Open architecture and standards based. We've opened the design specifications for our blade servers and created Blade.org to foster development and advancement of next-generation technologies for blades.
- Flexible storage solutions. IBM System Storage™ solutions are designed to help telecommunications service providers simplify storage infrastructures, optimize storage utilization and provide the storage support required for converged networks.
- Extensive solution ecosystem. More than 800 IBM Business Partners are currently working with IBM to deliver next-generation telecom solutions. IBM's Telecommunications Industry Network provides IBM Business Partners with customized benefits to help them better serve telecommunications clients worldwide.
The power of IBM
IBM has a breadth of capabilities across service creation, execution and management. We deliver a comprehensive solution for IMS that combines leading technology and systems integration services from IBM with selected IBM Business Partner offerings.
Learn more about IBM IP multimedia subsystem solutions
IBM's industry-leading middleware portfolio enables a flexible, IMS-compliant services plane solution. IBM software offerings help enable and support the fast and cost-effective creation, integration, execution and presentation of next-generation, converged services.
IBM technology offerings can help differentiate IMS offerings and accelerate time to market. Choose IBM Engineering & Technology Services (E&TS) for migration and integration services, and to develop platform solutions, such as custom blades and switches. IBM semiconductor solutions provide ASICs, foundry and IBM Power Architecture™ based offerings that help optimize the value of IMS solutions.
