Integrating RFID with your Mainframe © Lightyear Consulting, Ltd. 2004 Integrating RFID with your Mainframe November 2004

Integrating RFID with your Mainframe

© Lightyear Consulting, Ltd. 2004

Integrating RFID with your Mainframe

November 2004

November, 2004 Slide 2 Integrating RFID with your Mainframe


Agenda

• RFID Review

• Integrating RFID

• The Lightyear Solution

• Demonstration



RFID Timeline

|_____________________________________|_____________|

1940’s Jun 2003 Jan 2005

RFID developed in WWII to

uniquely identify aircraft

Wal-Mart declares that top

100 suppliers must prepare to implement RFID

Top suppliers of Wal-Mart

and DoD must now use RFID



What is RFID?

• Radio Frequency Identification– Tag (with an antenna)– Reader– Host computer

• Tag is programmed with information

• Reader automatically picks up the information when the tag is within range



Tag Classes

• Class 0 – Read only, 96 bit

• Class 1 – Read/Write, 96 bit

• Class 2 – Read/Write, 256 bit

• Class 3 – Read/Write, with battery

• Class 4 – Read/Write, active transmitter



EPC Code

• Electronic Product Code

• Global standard• Example of Type 1, 96 bit (as required by Wal-Mart)

– Header (2 bits)– EPC Manager (28 bits)– Object Class (24 bits)– Serial Number (36 bits)



RFID Impact

• 70% of large companies with at least $5 billion in annual sales will begin RFID timelines and initiatives within the next 18 months

• 25% of those will spend between $500,000 and $10 million on RFID adoption in 2004 (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu)

• RFID will generate a large volume of new transactions• It must be integrated with existing supply chain and other critical

business applications as part of a complete end-to-end solution• Some customers have a perception that it will be difficult to integrate

RFID with mainframe legacy systems.



Integration is the Key

• Without integration RFID will create another vertical silo that impedes the flow of information within an organization.

“An enterprise whose business processes - integrated end-to-end across the company and with key partners, suppliers and customers - can respond with speed to any customer demand, market opportunity or external threat.”

— Sam Palmisano



Comprehensive Integration

Any RFID device to any backend system.

Any Backend

CICS, DB2, IMSLinux/Unix/AIX

AS/400Windows

Any RFID Device

Handheld (Palm or Windows CE)

Fixed

Any Communication

FormatXML, ECI,Text …

Any Communication

FormatXML, ECI,Text …



Lightyear’s Strengths

• Lightyear’s work with RFID builds upon our significant experience with;– Mainframe software including CICS, IMS, DB2

and MQ– Wireless technologies and wireless connectivity

to the mainframe– Integration of data and applications across

multiple platforms



Architecture (Development)

Mapping

Database

Designer (Workbench)

CICS

End userCICS Connectorruntime and mapping database on handheld devices

CICS application information (Copybook)

Database Synchronization



Architecture (Runtime)

Mapping

Database

CICS(CTG on z/OS)

CTG on a distributed platform

End userCICS Connectorruntime and mapping database on handheld devices

Wireless communication



V2.1 Enhancements

Mapping

Database

Copybook

Workbench Database Synchronization(HotSync)

Wireless application Generation

Palm OS

LCWC Runtime Module

Mapping Database

in Palm DB

Smart Label



Features and Requirements•No programming required on the handheld device

– Map and transaction attributes will be generated by the workbench

•Communicate with CICS Transaction Gateway– CICS Transaction Gateway is used to communicate with CICS– TS 2.2 customers have the option to run ECI over TCP/IP

•No modifications to the server applications•No additional S/W on the handheld device

– communication security (SSL, VPN) is provided on the handheld OS•User authentication and authorization can be handled on the runtime module

•Mapping database is reusable for the various handheld devices • no need to regenerate for each different device (Palm, PocketPC ...)

•Supports various devices– RFID reader, Barcode scanner, MS card reader



Product Packaging

•Map Workbench (Designer)– Runs on any Java platform

– Currently Java stand-alone application (Java SDK V1.4 required)

– WSAD Plug-in is in development (4Q 04)

– Build map tables and ship them to the user

•Runtime (User)- Consists of data synchronization module and handheld application- Palm device

Available nowContains runtime and utilities

-Windows CE deviceUnder development now (4Q 04)



Workbench - Features

•Map generation utility– Create, manage, and export

•GUI interface– Focus on usability, reusability, efficiency– Designer can create the menu navigation

•Wizard driven– COPYBOOK parsing

•Can define input sources (Bar code, RFID,...)•Tool designed for a map designer•Most platforms are supported•Independent of LCWC runtime



Runtime - Palm Device

•Consists of Palm application and Conduit•Emulate maps using Palm UI elements on the fly•No additional S/W required

– Uses Palm database– Security S/W based on customer requirements

•Provides local user authentication (optional)•Features

• Input save and automatic retrieve• Screen save with or without the data• Create menu navigation based on the designer definition• Provides exit code to handle exceptions• Can modify host connection information• Can select external devices such as Bar Code, RFID devices



RFID interface

RFID device platform

LCWC runtime RFID driver

Define a RFID deviceDefine RFID fieldsDefine a Host Message (Copybook)Read EPC dataSend EPC data to Mainframe

RFID reader or controllerMapping Databas

e



Utilities

• Install/Remove utility– Standard windows installer– Prepare Hotsync for the runtime module and sample database– Requires HotSync twice for the module and sample data

•User set up utility– Sets up a LCWC environment for the user– Transparent

• Specify a user

•Table Copy utility– Pushes table data (database) to the HotSync folder of the selected user– Transparent

Specify location of table source and a userThen HotSync to refresh the database in the Palm device



Utilities

User Setup Utility

Table Copy Utility

Setup Utility



Customer Scenario

• Distribution company is implementing RFID• Mission critical CICS inventory application on z/OS• Additional important applications on AIX and AS/400

platforms • Plan to use hand-held readers to scan incoming pallets at

the receiving dock• Need to integrate the information captured by RFID with the

existing CICS application



Demonstration

• Development– Define relationship between RFID and CICS

• Automatically parse I/O messages using Cobol Copybook

– Create GUI objects for the RFID device– Export the database

• Runtime– Demonstrate the RFID reader connecting to the CICS

backend



















Next Steps

• Analysts recommend a 2 phase plan;– Start simple and address a single requirement– Leverage your success by enabling additional

applications and extending the integration



Pilot Projects

• Lightyear can help you implement a pilot project to evaluate RFID connectivity to your mainframe or other backend systems

• You may be a candidate to participate in our beta program to evaluate and help set the direction for our RFID tools ... ask us how you can take part in this exciting opportunity



Conclusions

• RFID will have a major impact

• For some customers it will be a necessity, for others it represents an opportunity to improve efficiencies and reduce costs

• Integration is the key to a successful RFID implementation

• Lightyear has the tools and experience to help you



To Contact Us

• Brian Lee (403) 208-6415– [email protected]

• Steve Hunn (480) 515-1498– [email protected]

Documents

Integrating RFID with your Mainframe © Lightyear Consulting, Ltd. 2004 Integrating RFID with your Mainframe November 2004