Tracking assets and people with Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) over an enterprise Wi-Fi network can help optimise workflows, business processes, and even help to reduce operating costs, according to Siemens Communications.

     These arguments are the basis of the new Siemens Communications Inc. global reseller and integration agreement with Ekahau, a provider of Wi-Fi-based RTLS solutions and planning tools. 116.30.192.184 This article is copyright 2007 UsingRFID.com.

Wi-Fi RTLS integration
     Integrating RTLS into the HiPath Wireless portfolio further builds on Siemens Enterprise-wide Foundation for Mobility, the key infrastructure needed to deliver on the promise of Fixed Mobile Convenience. Customers can now cost-effectively plan and deploy integrated location-based mobile business solutions from a single vendor.

     According to Antti Korhonen, President and CEO for Ekahau, "Our combined solution enables our customers to leverage their WLAN investment by delivering state of the art location-based services. Siemens'' commitment to an Open Communications strategy means enterprises can leverage best of breed partner solutions, which have been integrated and tested with the Siemens HiPath Portfolio of open products."

Indispensable wireless LANs
     Wireless LANs have quickly become a strategic element of an enterprise''s communication infrastructure. Building from their traditional role of on-campus mobile data access, WLANs are now a key component of an enterprise FMC strategy. By using the Siemens Enterprise-wide Foundation for Mobility, organisations can seamlessly connect VoIP, VoWLAN and cellular communications infrastructures while also benefiting from communication-enabled business processes such as location-based services across the combined network.

     By adding Ekahau''s RTLS and site survey solutions to its HiPath Wireless portfolio, Siemens enables companies to benefit not only from user mobility but also from the cost-effective integration of asset and people tracking in their business processes.

Positioning engine
     The Ekahau Positioning Engine (EPE) - now being resold by Siemens - uses active RFID tags to track key assets and people across the WLAN. The EPE can track the real-time location of more than 10,000 objects on a single server.

     Siemens has also integrated the Ekahau Site Survey (ESS) tool with HiPath Wireless Manager HiGuard to create a full WLAN planning toolset. An enterprise''s site survey planning results can be directly imported from the ESS into HiGuard. As a result, network designers can reduce the number of site surveys from three to one, lowering both time and cost requirements. (Previously, separate site surveys were required for deploying WLAN APs, wireless IPS sensors and RFID tags.)

 

 

 

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