Actian Case Studies Connecting Machines and Devices

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	Connecting Machines and Devices Actian

Connecting Machines and Devices

Actian

Technology Category	Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Database Management & Storage
Applicable Industries	Electronics Transportation Utilities
Applicable Functions	Discrete Manufacturing Product Research & Development
Use Cases	Building Automation & Control Fleet Management Predictive Maintenance
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	Echelon is a pioneer and world leader in control networks and embedded control networks, which connect machines and other electronic devices. They needed an embedded database compatible with the object-oriented application model. A predecessor of LNS was introduced in 1991, using procedural code and an embedded record oriented/ relational data storage toolkit. As object-oriented programming began to emerge, the team realized that using object-oriented programming was the most productive way to add features and power to the system. At the same time, the team realized that the record oriented storage toolkit was an obstacle to object-oriented development and a big usability problem because it exposed the embedded database structure to their broad OEM programmer community. Read More
About Customer	Echelon Corporation is a pioneer and world leader in control networks and embedded control networks, which connect machines and other electronic devices. They created the LonWorks platform, an extremely robust, flexible, and expandable standards-based control networking platform and ecosystem upon which manufacturers can build products and applications with unparalleled reliability, security, operational integrity, flexibility, and bottom-line value. LonWorks is the world’s most widely adopted standard for automating everyday devices and systems. Hundreds of millions of people have experienced a LonWorks based control network. They’re used everywhere – from the Louvre to the New York City subway system to Rhoponghi Hills in Tokyo – to create control applications that make our lives more comfortable, convenient, and safe. Read More
Solution	Versant embedded object databases are capable of handling the 70+ application classes, with up to 32,000 device instances on one network, including deep inheritance hierarchies, complex relationships among application objects, and high performance to store and retrieve a persistent network size of several hundred megabytes. Echelon estimates that using the Versant database resulted in a six month advantage in time to market, and saved several “developer years” while simultaneously enabling the team to implement more powerful features. In addition, there are significant ongoing developer productivity gains when enhancing and maintaining the code base. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Database Management & Storage

Applicable Industries

Electronics

Transportation

Utilities

Applicable Functions

Discrete Manufacturing

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Building Automation & Control

Fleet Management

Predictive Maintenance

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

Echelon is a pioneer and world leader in control networks and embedded control networks, which connect machines and other electronic devices. They needed an embedded database compatible with the object-oriented application model. A predecessor of LNS was introduced in 1991, using procedural code and an embedded record oriented/ relational data storage toolkit. As object-oriented programming began to emerge, the team realized that using object-oriented programming was the most productive way to add features and power to the system. At the same time, the team realized that the record oriented storage toolkit was an obstacle to object-oriented development and a big usability problem because it exposed the embedded database structure to their broad OEM programmer community.

About Customer

Echelon Corporation is a pioneer and world leader in control networks and embedded control networks, which connect machines and other electronic devices. They created the LonWorks platform, an extremely robust, flexible, and expandable standards-based control networking platform and ecosystem upon which manufacturers can build products and applications with unparalleled reliability, security, operational integrity, flexibility, and bottom-line value. LonWorks is the world’s most widely adopted standard for automating everyday devices and systems. Hundreds of millions of people have experienced a LonWorks based control network. They’re used everywhere – from the Louvre to the New York City subway system to Rhoponghi Hills in Tokyo – to create control applications that make our lives more comfortable, convenient, and safe.

Solution

Versant embedded object databases are capable of handling the 70+ application classes, with up to 32,000 device instances on one network, including deep inheritance hierarchies, complex relationships among application objects, and high performance to store and retrieve a persistent network size of several hundred megabytes. Echelon estimates that using the Versant database resulted in a six month advantage in time to market, and saved several “developer years” while simultaneously enabling the team to implement more powerful features. In addition, there are significant ongoing developer productivity gains when enhancing and maintaining the code base.

Impact #1	Echelon created the LonWorks platform, an extremely robust, flexible, and expandable standards-based control networking platform and ecosystem upon which manufacturers can build products and applications with unparalleled reliability, security, operational integrity, flexibility, and bottom-line value.
Impact #2	The Versant embedded object-oriented database offers developers more productivity, high performance at runtime, and the economy of a low maintenance database.
Impact #3	The database is embedded for seamless deployment, and requires no database tools or administration.

Impact #1

Echelon created the LonWorks platform, an extremely robust, flexible, and expandable standards-based control networking platform and ecosystem upon which manufacturers can build products and applications with unparalleled reliability, security, operational integrity, flexibility, and bottom-line value.

Impact #2

The Versant embedded object-oriented database offers developers more productivity, high performance at runtime, and the economy of a low maintenance database.

Impact #3

The database is embedded for seamless deployment, and requires no database tools or administration.

Benefit #1	Using the Versant database resulted in a six month advantage in time to market.
Benefit #2	Saved several “developer years” while simultaneously enabling the team to implement more powerful features.

Benefit #1

Using the Versant database resulted in a six month advantage in time to market.

Benefit #2

Saved several “developer years” while simultaneously enabling the team to implement more powerful features.

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Overview

Connecting Machines and Devices

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit