Apprion, who is in bed with Invensys, unembargoed this press release a few minutes ago:
Apprion Unveils Next Generation of the ION System
Enables Secure, Reliable, Wireless Application Networks in Large Process Manufacturing Plants
Moffett Field, Calif. - June 18, 2007 - Apprion today announced the next generation of its ION System for industrial application networking. Apprion's ION System is a comprehensive industrial wireless application networking system built from the ground-up as the first truly open, scalable, and extensible foundation for managing multi-vendor wireless devices and applications. The latest release of the ION System delivers improved security, management and integration capabilities to meet the challenges of the evolving process manufacturing environment.
While the basic building blocks for a wirelessly connected plant exist today, wireless systems have remained fragmented, proprietary and difficult to integrate. This critical gap has made it difficult to realize the full potential of wireless in an industrial setting. -In contrast, Apprion designed the ION System to cost-effectively design, deploy and manage wireless-enabled applications in a unified system that is more secure, more reliable and easier to extend in the future as technologies evolve and new applications become available.
Within the updated ION System, which consists of the Apprion IONosphere and IONizers, the IONosphere is an on-site controller with enhanced features and functionality to automatically bring any device, system and application under management, ensuring improved network performance, security, and reliability. Apprion's IONizer is the process industry's first industrial wireless networking appliance. IONizers are designed to cost-effectively integrate and secure previously disparate wireless-enabled applications, such as VoIP and condition monitoring.
Security enhancements to both components of the ION System make it easy for administrators to bring legitimate devices and systems under unified management.
In addition, ION delivers the first interface that gives users perspective from both a geospatial and relational framework. This interface makes photographs, maps, or CAD drawings available via a web-based portal, allowing users to record and use information in the form that is most appropriate for their operational responsibilities.
"LCRA is looking forward to the new version of ION. We have already seen a steady improvement in communications through our use of the ION System that allows us to be more efficient and responsive-for a power plant that can mean the difference between keeping things running and costly downtime or outages," said David Runkle, production manager at LCRA's Lost Pines Power Park. "As we expand our use of the ION System, we anticipate adding future applications so LCRA can continue to improve our field workers' processes, increase business productivity, reduce costs and advance customer service-in short, keep the lights on."
Additional benefits of the ION System are:
* Cost-Effectiveness: Management of multi-vendor devices and applications within a single system.
* Open: The ION System works across vendor products and is standards-based.
* Extensibility/Scalability: ION enables new applications and leverages state-of-the-art technology for system scalability.
* Security: ION acts as a virtual "security guard" to protect the wireless network and complies with security regulations.
* Wireless Application Enablement: IONapps such as network management, VoIP, and condition monitoring, provide key functionality for wireless applications integration.
* Performance and Reliability: ION monitors performance and conditions in industrial wireless devices enabling remote management and assuring the availability of critical applications.
"Process manufacturers know that their wireless operations require multiple technologies, suppliers, and applications," commented Harry Forbes, Senior Analyst at ARC Advisory Group. "Companies like LCRA are using the ION System to create a flexible, expandable and secure infrastructure that will support both their existing and future wireless applications."
"Apprion changes the way process industries look at wireless," said Steve Lambright, president and CEO of Apprion. "Apprion is the only company that has devised a way to make implementing wireless industrial applications easier and more cost-effective. Our ION system makes it possible to move forward using a unified, open, and secure framework. Plant management teams can finally take full advantage of the benefits that wireless offers with confidence in its security and reliability."
