Managing Automation - October 2007 - (Page 28)

[ COVER STORY ] emerging 802.11n standard (see glossary, value and true ROI when there is seamless p. 27). interaction with back-end systems If you On the other hand, some companies have don’t have a good supply chain management bought into multiple external carrier servsystem, adding a wireless device won’t solve ices — such as those from AT&T, Sprint, or the problem,” he says. Verizon — that they’d like to leverage in the Enterprise software vendors are making enterprise. Companies such as MobileAcstrides in this area. For example, all of Oracess can extend these services into a buildcle’s applications are fully Internet-enabled, ing, converting the carrier signal to radio frequency over fiber op- To some extent, users — not IT — will dictics while managing multiple sig- tate what devices are needed, which is a nals and ser vices. “Our infrastructure takes signals that might paradigm shift from the way IT now operbe available on the outside and ates. Yet, IT will ultimately be responsible. distributes them evenly throughout the internal part of the building,” says which means they can be turned into mobile Lou Martinage, MobileAccess’ director of applications accessible by laptops. In addimarketing and business development. tion, Oracle’s Fusion middleware includes the Sensor Edge Server, designed to work MIX AND MATCH with wireless networks and technology, inThe bottom line is that no one wireless techcluding RFID. And, the Oracle Lite database nology will prevail. As a result, vendors are is designed to run with small-footprint mofinding ways to mix and match, as should bile devices. manufacturers because the “We have the capability to support mobile needs of assembly line workers, data capture for any transportation assets and managingautomation.com engineers, executives, and sales moving materials,” says Jon Chorley, Oraassociates are all different. cle’s vice president of supply chain manageRELATED ARTICLES: Mobility Gets Serious “Mobility brings such an asment product strategy. “We also embed alerts, www.managingautomation.com/takeone30 sortment of devices quickly to which can be pushed to any phone system in When Networks Converge the forefront that you have to a text or e-mail message. That’s the key part www.managingautomation.com/converge pay attention to what you are doof mobility, informing decision makers when Brainstorming, IBM Style ing,” says EDS’ Mears. To some exception conditions occur.” www.managingautomation.com/takeone34 extent, users — not IT — will The other key aspect of mobility is the dictate what devices are needed, ability to move freely between wireless netCOMPANIES MENTIONED: which is a paradigm shift from works. That’s where companies like MoCooper Bussmann the way IT currently operates. bileAware come in. MobileAware provides a www.managingautomation.com/Cooper Yet, IT will ultimately be responsoftware layer that can work with devices EDS sible and will establish rules to such as the new Blackberry 8820 to configwww.managingautomation.com/EDS avoid potential network clashes ure device behavior to use the free WiFi Invensys Process Systems or communications chaos. “We network as much as possible. The key to www.managingautomation.com/Invensys still need an organization to manMobileAware — and perhaps the key to moMicrosoft age this whole set of technolbility in the future — is the fact that it plugs www.managingautomation.com/Microsoft ogy,” Mears says. into Web services and service-oriented arMobileAccess IT is the obvious choice for chitectures to manage intelligent communiwww.managingautomation.com/MobileAccess having management responsibilcations and messaging in the enterprise. MobileAware ity because, regardless of the car“There is no concern on underlying netwww.managingautomation.com/MobileAware rier used to support mobility outwork issues; rather, it focuses on business Motorola side the walls of the corporation processes,” says Brian Kinane, executive www.managingautomation.com/Motorola or the wireless technology used vice president and chief strategy officer at Nortel inside the organization, the backMobileAware. www.managingautomation.com/Nortel end systems will ultimately tie Marrying wireless technology with busiOracle everything together. ness processes through Web ser vices is www.managingautomation.com/Oracle3 “Part of the killer application what will finally fill the mobility gap. But Questra Corp. is what is happening on the that’s a tall order, and it could take a long www.managingautomation.com/Questra back-end systems,” says Tyler time to catch on. It is, however, an inevitable Research in Motion Lessard, director of ISV Alwww.managingautomation.com/RIM evolution of networking. After all, work is liances for Research In Motion. something we do, regardless of where we Rockwell Automation www.managingautomation.com/Rockwell3 “You can’t look at mobile devices are. People don’t stand still, and neither in isolation. You’ll get the most should the network infrastructure. ■ maonline ma October 28 2007 http://www.managingautomation.com http://www.managingautomation.com/takeone30 http://www.managingautomation.com/converge http://www.managingautomation.com/takeone34 http://www.managingautomation.com/Cooper http://www.managingautomation.com/EDS http://www.managingautomation.com/Invensys http://www.managingautomation.com/Microsoft http://www.managingautomation.com/MobileAccess http://www.managingautomation.com/MobileAware http://www.managingautomation.com/Motorola http://www.managingautomation.com/Nortel http://www.managingautomation.com/Oracle3 http://www.managingautomation.com/Questra http://www.managingautomation.com/RIM http://www.managingautomation.com/Rockwell3

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Managing Automation - October 2007

Contents Take 1 Mailbox New Selling and Fulfillment Product Leads Plan to Transform Sterling Commerce Comtrol Closes Bizarre Chapter Involving Founder New Omron COO Outlines Four-Part Growth Agenda New Mfg. ‘Czar’ Will Have a Full Plate of Issues Lawson Embraces The Trend of Fewer Upgrades Notes Wanted: A Unified Infrastructure Needed: Greater Reliability Special Report: Innovation: Why Are So Many Coming Up Short? Transforamation: Beating the Odds in Global Supply Industries: Metals: Tracking Carbon Footprints Product Scan Advertiser Index Next

Managing Automation - October 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.