IBM Adds New RFID Services and Software to Its RFID Portfolio

Today at RFID World IBM announced the additionof new radio frequency identification (RFID) services and software to itsexpansive RFID portfolio.

IBM announced a new RFIDservice for asset tracking. The IBM RFID Solution for Asset Trackingcan aid companies in their critical resource tracking and securityendeavors, and in their efforts to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.Its benefits range from tracking military equipment in the field totransporting hazardous materials.

Also announced is an upgrade to its IBM WebSphere Premises Server forcompanies with heavy tagging traffic and high-value items. Thishigh-performance software enables tagging items at manufacturing linespeeds. Version 1.1 is scalable software that gives customers remotedeployment, a distributed architecture as well as central management.

Customers running the new software in a service-oriented architecture (SOA)can more closely align RFID to business goals and objectives. In a SOA,information from RFID chips including inventory, shipping and billing canbe instantaneously distributed across a customer's IT infrastructure aswell as externally with partners or suppliers.

"With these new offerings IBM is taking important steps forward in RFID,"said Eric Gabrielson, director, worldwide RFID solutions, IBM. "IBM iscontinuously building in RFID, both in the functionality of our softwareand services that take RFID in new directions."

RFIDCapabilities for Asset Tracking

IBM RFIDcapabilities for asset tracking are based on a standard SOA-basedsoftware infrastructure. These capabilities can be used to effectivelytrack critical resources, such as in chemical plants, petroleum refineries,healthcare facilities, manufacturing plants, paper mills, coal mines andother high-security or complex environments. IBM's new RFID asset trackingcapabilities can also be used to track mobile assets, including laptops andother IT and data center resources.

IBM RFIDcapabilities for asset tracking are designed to accommodate both activeand passive RFID networks and can be used to monitor the location andmovement of critical operational resources, high-value capital equipmentand even qualified personnel. Benefits of these capabilities includeimproving ability to comply with mandates and other governmental andregulatory requirements, such as Sarbanes-Oxley, improve safety andsecurity, improve operational efficiencies, streamline processes and reduceor prevent theft and/or loss of critical assets.

WebSphere RFID Premises Server

WebSphere RFID Premises Server V1.1, available immediately, is designed fordeployment in warehouses, distribution centers or manufacturing plants withlarge amounts of traffic. The software builds on V1.0's existing strengthsin providing the ability to filter, aggregate, monitor and escalate RFIDdata to detect business events and to track the location of physicalobjects, with significantly higher throughput.

The new software is an extensible J2EE software platform that enables theautomatic integration of RFID data from RFID devices into businessprocesses. It ensures the reliable delivery of messages between devicesand Premises Server, as well as between Premises Server and WebSpherebusiness integration products.

WebSphere RFID Premises Server delivers starter kits for commonly neededtasks, including tag reading at the dock door. The software also supportsLinux SuSE 8 and Windows 2003 Server, while providing integration with newRFID printers and readers. The updated version additionally providesmaterial for capacity and performance planning.

Separately, IBM announced the opening of a 50,000 square foot RFID testingand pilot center in Dublin, Ireland. Dublin now complements a network of10 RFID centers worldwide where companies can get hands-on experience withproduct tagging, supply chain integration, logistics management and assettracking before going into production. IBM Dublin successfully completedits own asset tracking program fitting campus ThinkPads with RFID tags,enabling IBM to test its own RFID capabilities for asset tracking,including the use of WebSphere Premises Server V1.1.

This adds to the numerous internal IBM RFID implementations around theglobe, including a supply chain management RFID system in place at IBM'ssemiconductor manufacturing plant in East Fishkill, N.Y., proving IBM'scommitment to RFID.

About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years ofleadership in helping businesses innovate. Drawing on resources from acrossIBM and key business partners, IBM offers a wide range of services,solutions and technologies that enable companies to take full advantage ofthe on demand era. For more information about IBM, visithttp://www.ibm.com.

*Registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp.

Contact:Jan Walbridgewalbridge@us.ibm.com914 766 4647

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