MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA /BUSINESS WIRE/ -- Omnitrol Networks Inc. announced immediate availability of a new release of its flagship software platform, Edge Application and Services Engine (EASE) version 2.1. The company also announced the release of the OMNITROL-A (the Nano), the "industry's smallest middleware appliance for RFID and sensor networks." The releases support Omnitrol Networks' goals of reducing the costs and complexity of RFID deployments and offering robust but lower costs solutions for large-scale deployments.
"Companies are feeling the pressure to reduce costs, automate processes, and improve quality, all in the face of reduced demand and increased competition," says David Orain Vice-President Marketing at Omnitrol Networks. "So returns on investment and total cost of ownership will see higher scrutiny, and that's sparking some real innovation."
Flexible Middleware
RFID middleware must plug and play with more than one RF frequency or technology, and require less customization. Omnitrol Networks has added new features to its EASE middleware that make business process implementation independent of RF technology, such as HF, UHF, UWB, and Wi-Fi. The new software release includes:
- A new version of the OMNITROL Service Development Kit, for quicker development of customer-defined business processes;
- A new enhanced Emulator to simulate sensors and RFID devices to develop, test, validate, and monitor process workflow implementation more rapidly;
- Integration with new databases and ERP applications, which enables easier collaboration with customer legacy environments;
- Support for OMNITROL-M and OMNITROL-A (the Nano) appliances.
"All of this reduces the costs of developing, deploying, and maintaining RFID- and sensor-based software solutions," says David Orain. "We've seen ratios of services to license costs over 6 to 1, which brings the project total price too high and slows down the deployment of RFID solutions."
Scaled-to-Fit Application Network Appliance
Similarly, Omnitrol Networks concluded that middleware appliances must be scaled to suit the deployment. The company has developed the OMNITROL Nano, which packs the same powerful EASE software as the OMNITROL Appliance, but it is suited for smaller RFID deployments, requiring a limited number of readers or sensors. The new appliance is about a third the size of 1U rack-mountable server and consumes < 30 W, which is equivalent to an energy saving light bulb.
The OMNITROL Nano is a plug-and-play solution and practically plug and forget. A manufacturing company can have a complete OMNITROL-based track-and-trace solution up and running in < 60 min., and need only maintain it when they add more sensors. The OMNITROL Nano is suitable for all industrial automation environments, includes serial interfaces, and is fanless with no moving parts.
"RFID deployments routinely get stuck in the pilot mode," says David Orain, "because there are simply too many variables. Customers have different requirements based on their environment or business goals, but were forced to make do with one-size-fits-all software and equipment, and abandon the deployments out of frustration. We want to see them get a return on those investments and scale it up easily when they're ready to do so."
About Omnitrol
Omnitrol Networks Inc. is a leading provider of complete EPC-based business application solutions for the emerging wireless, RFID, and sensor automation market. The company's award-winning OMNITROL appliance and EASE software have pioneered the market for "Always On" real-time operational visibility, traceability, and automation solutions. The OMNITROL's unique edge-centric solution architecture enables the industry's most flexible and reliable means to deploy scalable auto-ID application intelligent networks at the lowest total cost of ownership in the market. Omnitrol Networks Inc. is a privately held company with corporate headquarters in Mountain View, CA.