Sybase Monday introduced software aimed at helping enterprises analyze and integrate data collected using radio frequency identification.
Sybase’s RFID Enterprise 2.0 offers device and network management capabilities and can also help users integrate RFID data into an existing data architecture. The software supports an Eclipse-based integrated development environment and a core runtime engine for event routing, business activity monitoring and message transformation.
Some companies are beginning to use the tiny RFID chips, embedding them into product packaging, because the chips can store more data than barcodes and because they can be read from several feet away.
Sybase said that it offers the components needed to get the most out of an RFID deployment, including tools for deploying and managing the network, middleware to integrate the RFID data with existing systems, and a database for collecting and analyzing the data.
Some companies in the U.S. are employing RFID because their customers are demanding it. For example, the retailer Wal-Mart is requiring its largest suppliers to deploy RFID programs if they want to continue doing business with Wal-Mart. While some organizations may be employing RFID because of such mandates, Sybase notes that those companies can leverage the investment by investing in the tools that allow them to analyze and use the data they are already collecting.
Sybase will demonstrate RFID Enterprise 2.0, which is available now, at the RFID World Conference in Dallas, Texas, this week. Sybase would not reveal pricing details, saying that implementations may vary, resulting in different costs.
Other software developers such as IBM, Microsoft and Oracle have introduced or are working on RFID data management products. Professional services companies like Accenture and Capgemini also offer services to help companies make the most of the RFID data they collect.
Copyright © 2006 IDG Communications, Inc.
