MetaSparc's NonStop-RT 1.2 Version released

Whats New in NonStop-RT 1.2 version

Release Date: June 6th 2008

Enhanced Multi-threading techniques for Content Engine, a modified new multi-threading design model enhances performance of powerful content engine of NonStop-RT platform scaling your application much beyond than with earlier version.

Lightweight Kernel - Extension of Kernel which provides Life cycle management functioning to RFID Elements such as Readers, Antennas now also can be integrated with Organization work flow with Event notification mechanism.

Complex Event Processing Model: A Priority based complex event processing system added as a new feature replacing old event processing model(first come first serve). The current Complex event processing model provides priority oriented processing of events irrespective of time of event origination. One can easily add event listeners dynamically to process incoming events in the event queues. MetaSparc's NonStop-RT platform uses Java based Esper event engine and abstracts many of its functionality.

MetaSparc wins Brandix Apparel India RFID Implementation Deal

Srilankan Apprel industry leader Brandix Group (www.brandix.com preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s best brands, including Gap, Marks & Spencer, Victoria’s Secret, NEXT, Lands End, Ann Taylor, Abercrombie & Fitch and Tommy Hilfiger) signed a deal with MetaSparc Software India Pvt Ltd to implement RFID based Access control management using higher end Turnstiles, Boom barrier equipments through which Time & Attedence will be managed. The solution also provides integration of this data with Payroll management software. MetaSparc's end-to-end solution provides various business intelligent reports relating to time & attendance.

MetaSparc's RFID solution efficiently manages employee shift management and providing authorization dynamically based on shift timings.

RFID Middleware - Market Apprehensions

Before using this blog space further to showcase MetaSparc's RFID Middleware Platform, Solutions I take this opportunity to emphasis the need of having RFID Middleware despite of lot of apprehension in the market space on this puzzled piece of "RFID Middleware".

RFID as a technology has gone through lot of maturity right from its conceptual inception and as a result, today we are seeing lot of successful pilots, failed pilots which are unable to show the ROI factors, promising solutions which are already running in Enterprises. The key thing to note here is "Where is RFID" as a technology. In my sense, it’s in the initial phase of standardization where standardization is required in couple of areas within the realm of whole context.

Fortunately the effort on standardization is matured to a greater degree when it comes to Tag - Reader communication and Thanks to EPC Global, ISO kind of organizations who has spent enormous amount of time, money in emphasizing these standards There is lot to be done in standardization aspects beyond Tag/Reader level. There are considerable areas like "Security of data" where this technology must address greater concerns of the enterprise community. Standardization is a must for any technology for a better market augmentation, in alignment with dependent integrable technologies. Luckily RFID has gone through some degree of Standards and I am sure the drive on standardization will be more in the future once this technology adoption Picks the gear.

I am a firm believer of the principle that a technology cannot be standardized completely by addressing all the issues until and unless there is a constant adoption going in a positive direction. Unless the technology adoption expands, its pretty difficult to imagine any Organizations putting tedious efforts on standardizing the issues.

During the initial years of RFID technology market adoption, the biggest challenge Enterprises experienced was showing a convincing ROI factor. Until 2004 RFID Hardware costs were sky high, due to this RFID based solutions had confined to few areas. Now due to the manufacturing revolution in RFID hardware, especially from South east Asia, RFID Hardware prices dramatically dipped down year after year, thus making the reachability of technology wider to lot many solution areas. Now coming to the main topic - why do we need RFID Middleware? Is it a normal application middleware server (J2EE based, .NET based or any other kind) is not enough to build RFID Solutions? My straight answer is - NO. There are million ways one can use existing Application server environments or legacy environments to have RFID data consumed. But the crux of my argument is mainly on fundamental aspects of dealing RFID intricacies.In my view some of RFID intricacies are around - RFID data management, event management, high volume data/event management, configurability, Integration aspects of RFID hardware with Software solutions, seamless migration of RFID hardware from one vendor to another vendor, one version of RFID hardware to another version. These are just few and there are many more about asset definitions, dynamic configurations, asset data persistence etc. This list can be more & more. Is it worth for a solution vendor to write custom made software in their solutions to address RFID intricacies? Or Is it worth for a solution vendor just to focus on the business aspect that needs a solution?

My definite answer and expectation to all the above said intricacies is to have a ready made platform/suite of components which addresses these core issues. Given such a bifurcation of solution with RFID intricacies I would be far better of to offer quicker, robust solutions leaving these core issues to be addressed by a "Platform".One other argument that’s there in the industry is - RFID Middleware is a too early word to have given the maturity? Do you want to wait for a catastrophe to happen to realize that you need a platform... or do we need to develop futuristic legacy solutions now?

Are we not well off if we have the Platform today to deliver truly scaling, reliable, robust tomorrows solutions. If these core intricacies are addressed at a RFID Middleware platform level than as a part of a solution, one can easily bring down the cost of the solutions at a nominal fee on the RFID middleware. Fortunately for open communities like J2EE based middleware, closed products like .Net application servers there are lots of standards which are existing to predict the component behavior, what components are required on these application servers. But for RFID middleware as of now there is no such standards existing to state what components should exist and in what form.

I am sure we are not too far to talk beyond the need of RFID Middleware but we will be demanding the Standardization requirements around RFID Middleware. Enterprises, organizations who are taking RFID as a serious technology should take a holistic approach on standardizing RFID Middleware dynamics too. Once the industry starts talking about this We can see a true momentum for the middleware adoption in the huge markets.