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Signal Computing System Architecture

Signal Computing System Architecture
TypeTechnical standard
AbbreviationSCSA
Introduced1993
DeveloperDialogic Corporation
IndustryComputer telephony integration
PurposeHardware and software integration standard
Related standardsMVIP, H.100, ECTF

Signal Computing System Architecture (SCSA) is a comprehensive technical standard for computer telephony integration (CTI) systems developed by Dialogic Corporation and introduced in 1993. SCSA provides a framework for integrating telephony hardware components and software applications across multiple vendors, enabling the development of scalable communications systems encompassing voice, data, and image technologies.

Development and history

Formation and standardization (1993-1994)

SCSA was announced by Dialogic Corporation in 1993 as a response to the fragmented computer telephony market and competition from standards like the Multi-Vendor Integration Protocol (MVIP) developed by Natural Microsystems.[1] The initiative was designed to create an open architecture for building distributed communications systems from multiple technologies.

Joining Dialogic to create the SCSA standard were approximately 70 computer telephony companies, a group that would grow to more than 250 over the following two years.[1] The SCSA group completed its hardware standard by the end of 1993 and finished software specifications in September 1994.[1]

Industry adoption (1994-1996)

Dialogic began shipping SCSA-based components in 1994, with the first end-user SCSA-based products appearing in 1995.[1] The standard gained significant momentum when major technology companies joined the effort, and SCSA-based products began widespread commercial release in 1996.[1]

Technical specifications

Architecture overview

SCSA defines a comprehensive multilayered open architecture for building distributed communications systems. The architecture enables seamless integration of telephony hardware components and software applications across different vendors.[1]

SCbus implementation

At the heart of SCSA is a high-capacity TDM (Time Division Multiplexed) highway called SCbus, which provides up to 2,048 universal timeslots of bandwidth for interconnecting various processing technologies used in call processing and media server systems.[2] In VMEbus systems, the SCbus is implemented using the available P2 connector.

Software framework

SCSA provides a framework for developing software standards that allow third-party developers to become components of the system, making them readily usable with all SCSA-compliant hardware and software components.[2] This approach enabled the creation of modular, interoperable telephony systems.

Relationship to industry standards

Competition with MVIP

SCSA was developed as an alternative to the Multi-Vendor Integration Protocol (MVIP) standard created by Natural Microsystems. While MVIP focused on hardware bus architecture for interconnecting telephony boards, SCSA provided a more comprehensive framework encompassing both hardware and software integration standards.

Enterprise Computer Telephony Forum

Dialogic worked closely with the Enterprise Computer Telephony Forum (ECTF), formed in 1995, to further develop and promote SCSA standards.[1] ECTF brought together telephony equipment and software suppliers to improve interoperability of various vendors' CT solutions and incorporated SCSA principles into broader industry standards.

Evolution to modern standards

The principles established by SCSA influenced the development of later standards including H.100 and H.110, which became widely adopted in the computer telephony industry. These standards incorporated SCSA's approach to modular, vendor-neutral system design.

Applications and use cases

Telephony systems

SCSA enabled the development of various telephony applications including:

Advanced Intelligent Networks

SCSA provided the foundation for Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) implementations, which pull together telephony functions into intelligent, client/server architectures that automatically query databases and make routing decisions based on calling information and associated database data.[2]

Industry impact

SCSA's introduction helped consolidate the fragmented computer telephony market by providing a common framework for hardware and software integration. This standardization reduced development costs, enabled broader interoperability between vendors' products, and facilitated the transition from proprietary, single-vendor systems to open, multi-vendor environments with more rapid innovation and competitive pricing.

Legacy

While SCSA as a specific standard has been largely superseded by newer technologies, its architectural principles and approach to open, modular system design influenced the development of modern telecommunications standards and contributed to the evolution of Voice over IP (VoIP) and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) systems.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Dialogic Corporation". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2025-06-18. Dialogic moved to build on that advantage in 1993, with the announcement of the formation of a new standards group, Signal Computing System Architecture (SCSA)
  2. ^ a b c "VME for Telephony Applications". VITA. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
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