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Omnitrol Networks today announced the industry’s first integrated radio frequency identification-real time location system (RFID-RTLS) appliance, which has been made possible through a reseller agreement with Ekahau, Inc.
Omnitrol Networks has integrated the Ekahau Positioning Engine in the OMNITROL, the first open application network appliance. The complete out-of-box PLC, RFID, Wi-Fi and RTLS integration gives customers the flexibility of using passive tags in combination with Wi-Fi-based RTLS active tags. The combination of RFID and PLC with Wi-Fi-based RTLS in a networking appliance enables a new category of intelligent tracking applications previously unavailable in a single system. The OMNITROL is breaking down the silo walls between the RFID, PLC and WiFi worlds and allows for the creation of application services to track and report assets, people, inventories, and much more through automated network edge workflows. With the explosive growth of intelligent, high-value assets and Wi-Fi networks, companies must be able to quickly locate and coordinate operations and usage of these devices to improve safety, efficiencies and response times.
"Successfully deploying asset tracking solutions in the enterprise requires an integrated platform that reduces costs, risks and complexity,” said Antti Korhonen, president and CEO of Ekahau. “Omnitrol’s scalable open platform is enhanced by adding Wi-Fi RTLS functionality using Ekahau’s RTLS and its open XML/HTTP software interface.”
The Ekahau RTLS is a wireless radio frequency (RF) solution that continually monitors and reports the location of tracked resources in real time. Ekahau's patented RF modeling technology leverages standard Wi-Fi access points. Because it requires no proprietary infrastructure, location tracking solutions can be more quickly and cost-effectively deployed.
“Ekahau was the first to build a total asset location engine that leverages a standard Wi-Fi network infrastructure,” said Raj Saksena, president and CEO of Omnitrol Networks. “By combining this capability with the Omnitrol open application network appliance, our two companies have raised the bar with respect to scale, quality of service, intelligent services and ease of deployment for location-based applications to deliver real-time operational intelligence.”
Through Ekahau’s certified reseller program, Omnitrol adds RTLS capability to its easy-to-deploy appliance solution making it available to its channels and end users. The convergence of RTLS and RFID technologies creates new opportunities to address the demand in manufacturing, government, health care and transportation industries for increased safety and a faster and more responsive workforce, at lower costs than possible with traditional approach.
“Omnitrol has created a unique appliance for edge network integration and is now adding Wi-Fi RTLS capability to offer solutions combining the world of RFID and Wi-Fi active tags,” said Louis Bianchin senior analyst at Venture Development Corporation (VDC), a technology market research and strategy firm. The RTLS and RFID Advanced Feature Systems sub-segment is anticipated to grow over 40 percent annually through 2010, according to VDC.
About Ekahau, Inc.
Ekahau Inc. is the industry leader in providing Wi-Fi based RTLS solutions. Ekahau's customers, including several Fortune 500 companies worldwide, are realizing the benefits of Wi-Fi based location services and innovative Wi-Fi network planning and optimization tools. Ekahau partners include wireless software developers, leading system integrators, and international OEM partners, who develop and market wireless enterprise applications. Ekahau is a U.S. based corporation, with offices in Saratoga, CA; Reston, VA; Helsinki, Finland; and Hong Kong, China.
About Omnitrol Networks, Inc.
Omnitrol Networks Inc. is a leading provider of converged service-oriented edge platform solutions for the emerging extended-Internet (X-Internet) deployment market. The company’s OMNITROL appliance and EASETM edge application and services engine software have pioneered the market for “Always On” real-time enterprise visibility and automation solutions. The OMNITROL’s unique edge-centric solution architecture enables the industry’s most flexible and reliable means to deploy distributed application intelligent networks at the lowest total cost of ownership in the market. OMNITROL Networks is a privately held company based in Mountain View, California.
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