BizTalk RFID

Managing complex RFID Network

Let's take a real world example to understand the problem we are discussing here. Let's take a retailer like WalMart or Target. They already have RFID readers in there DC's. They are planning to deploy RFID readers in every store. Now image 100s of RFID readers across the country managing the inventory in real time for these big companies. Now imagine what happens if one reader fails? How will the IT folks know about it? How will IT folks fix it? How do you reduce the downtime?

This is not a new problem. This problem exists today with other network devices and applications like email servers or database server in your environment. There are many solutions that monitor applications and devices and help IT folks to fix problems before they become a disaster. Few examples of these solutions are Microsoft Systems Center, HP OpenView, IBM Tivoli etc...

When we started thinking about RFID platform in Microsoft we thought about this manageability problem in detail. Therefore BizTalk RFID has multi level monitoring and management support for RFID devices in your network. BizTalk RFID can be used at edge of enterprise to discover, configure, manage and monitor RFID devices. But if you have to manage and monitor 1000s of stores and devices mounted in these stores through centralized IT office you would like to reuse your investment in applications like Microsoft System Center Operations Manager. Therefore BizTalk RFID provides out of box MOM pack to integrate RFID device management events into System Center Operations Manager.

Now you will ask me what about HP OpenView or IBM Tivoli? That should not be difficult you can look at MOM pack provided with BizTalk RFID and write your own rules for other solutions. It is some work but isn't it better than nothing.

Following is a pictorial representation...