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Sun fuels RFID market with specialised Java System software

Following the recent opening of its (radio frequency identification) RFID test centre in Dallas, Texas, Sun Microsystems has released its Sun Java System RFID Software. This standards-based software simplifies the integration of RFID data into enterprise information systems. It also reduces the complexity of managing the massive amount of data generated by RFID systems.

"Sun Java System RFID Software is available directly through Sun on an annual subscription basis that will allow businesses to start small and scale up as their RFID implementations grow," says Lodewyk de Beer, solutions architect at Sun Microsystems SA.

The new software is a key component of Sun's RFID Solution strategy which includes global client services, global RFID test centres, Sun hardware and storage, and solution partners. "Available on the Solaris Operating System, Java System RFID streamlines the management of hardware such as tags and readers, while providing the foundation for RFID applications to increase visibility of assets across supply chains, improve product integrity and provide realtime access to inventory information," continues de Beer.

The new software is designed to work with a variety of infrastructure solutions including Sun's Java Enterprise System.

"Organisations around the world recognise that RFID technology has the potential to increase operational efficiencies, speeding logistics and minimising theft and waste," says De Beer. "RFID is a natural fit for Sun's expertise in delivering network services and builds off core infrastructure technologies like the Sun Java Enterprise System and Solaris OS."

Java System RFID Software comprise two essential components: the RFID Event Manager and the RFID Information Server.

The RFID Event Manager processes information from RFID tags or sensors and filters this data according to specified requirements. It is based on an architecture that uses Java and Jini technologies to manage and maintain RFID systems under demanding production environments, and provides a self-healing and self-managing architecture. "This enables applications to be dynamically provisioned across available network resources and helps ensure maximum system reliability and scalability," De Beer explains.

The RFID Information Server runs on top of the Java System Application Server 7, a key part of the Sun Java Enterprise System. It captures, queries and stores a wide-range of information and makes it available in a consistent manner to other applications.

Java System RFID Software is the industry's only highly available solution that can automatically adapt to changing operating environments without requiring system downtime or special administration. "This is especially important since RFID technology is often used in locations outside the data centre, such as warehouses or manufacturing facilities, without a full-time IT administrator on-site," concludes De Beer.

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