Build and Manage Distributed, Intelligent Networks with EdgeFrontier
Edge Application Server and Enterprise Service Bus Powers Distributed, Intelligent Networks from Edge to Core

Las Vegas, Nevada – Augusta Systems Inc., today announced the release of EdgeFrontier™, an extensible, edge application server and enterprise service bus for distributed, intelligent networks. Augusta Systems® unveiled EdgeFrontier at Interop Las Vegas 2007. Using EdgeFrontier and their existing network infrastructure, enterprises can build and manage distributed, intelligent networks from the edge to the core.

“Integrating data from sensors, actuators and other edge systems and devices into IT networks can create challenges for the enterprise. EdgeFrontier helps to overcome the challenges posed by development costs and network capacity issues involved in building and managing distributed, intelligent networks. With EdgeFrontier, the edge of an enterprise network can become as powerful a component of enterprise networks as the core,” said Patrick Esposito, president and chief operating officer of Augusta Systems.

EdgeFrontier delivers the benefits of an enterprise application server and enterprise service bus at the edge of the network. EdgeFrontier can be configured easily to receive, process, and distribute network data. With the installation of EdgeFrontier Manager™ on gateways, servers, or other computing systems, and EdgeFrontier Interface™ on remote workstations and PCs, users are provided with a complete solution for the management of multi-tier applications running at the edge of the network.

While primarily designed as an edge application server, EdgeFrontier can be configured as an edge enterprise service bus by providing an abstraction layer to support processing and distribution of data without writing code. With its feature-rich capabilities, the software supports the utilization of the existing enterprise network infrastructure to provide edge processing and data distribution. In addition, third-party processing software and algorithms or user-produced code can be implemented easily to further extend the capabilities of EdgeFrontier to support distributed, intelligent networks.

EdgeFrontier can distribute data to multiple network devices and applications via TCP and UDP communication protocols within wired and wireless deployments – including WiFi, WiFi mesh, WiMax, ZigBee, and others. The technology can provide an abstraction layer to support protocol conversion and data transformation, including non-IP data to IP and IPv4 data to IPv6.

EdgeFrontier can be implemented on any network device, including gateways, servers, and workstations/PCs, capable of supporting the Microsoft .NET framework. With simple configuration or enhanced customization through the use of Augusta Systems SensorBridge™ or third-party software, EdgeFrontier powers distributed, intelligent processing and control based upon data from sensors, actuators, and other edge systems and devices. SensorBridge is a suite of software components for Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 for building and managing intelligent networks, systems, and applications featuring data from edge assets within an integrated development environment.

“EdgeFrontier provides strong, sustainable value for enterprises,” said Esposito. “The technology provides a remote, edge application server for middleware and other software. In addition, the software powers distribution of data for applications and data repositories without writing code. By powering distributed, intelligent edge-of-network processing and control, EdgeFrontier ensures return on investments by enterprises for sensor, actuator, and other edge system and device investments.”

• Provide an extensible application server for edge-of-network computing systems, including gateways, servers, and other computing systems;
• Serve as an edge enterprise service bus;
• Enable sensor, actuator, system, and device connectivity;
• Provide real-time, edge of network event processing, including data filtering, correlation, anomaly detection, notification, and encryption features;
• Allow distributed processing applications to run as Windows services;
• Serve as a mediator for protocol conversion and data transformation;
• Distribute data as network data files (e.g., text, Excel, XML, binary, etc.) and to populate common database tables (e.g., Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Access, MySQL, etc.); and
• Extend the IP network and IT infrastructure to the physical world of sensors and actuators.

EdgeFrontier can be applied for use in diverse applications, from defense to security to process control and beyond. With EdgeFrontier and SensorBridge, true convergence can be achieved – in which all sensors, actuators, systems, and devices are united into enterprise networks and function as part of an intelligent information infrastructure to empower a network of networks.

• Providing real-time data from edge assets to the enterprise IT infrastructure to enhance analysis and response;
• Increasing enterprise access to edge data by providing an enterprise service bus for edge computing systems;
• Maximizing existing client technology assets and leveraging future investments by providing an open, scalable platform;
• Increasing the value of data from edge assets through distributed processing and network access;
• Reducing the total cost of ownership of distributed, intelligent networks; and
• Increasing the ROI for distributed, intelligent networks and enterprise assets.

“Utilized individually or together, EdgeFrontier and other Augusta Systems technologies, such as SensorBridge, provide the building blocks that enterprises require to create distributed, intelligent networks that unite the edge with the core. The technologies empower integrators, engineers, and developers to meet enterprise network architecture and system development goals for edge of network assets in a cost-effective manner,” Esposito said.

“Through the use of EdgeFrontier, enterprises can witness reduced total cost of ownership of sensor network and control system deployments and an increased return on investment for sensors, actuators, systems, and other devices,” he added.

About Augusta Systems
Augusta Systems, Inc. technologies power distributed, intelligent networks. The technologies extend enterprise networks by enabling rapid integration, intelligent processing, and enterprise utilization of data from sensors, actuators, and other edge systems and devices. Augusta Systems products enable the most efficient and effective convergence and use of data from edge systems and devices for numerous applications, including security, monitoring, automation, and asset tracking, among others.

The company's core products are SensorBridge, EdgeFrontier, and SensorPort™. SensorBridge is a suite of software components for Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 for building and managing intelligent networks, systems, and applications featuring data from edge assets within an integrated development environment. EdgeFrontier provides an extensible edge application server and enterprise service bus for distributed, intelligent networks. SensorPort is a reconfigurable network appliance for distributed, intelligent processing at the edge of the network.

Augusta Systems also offers its core technologies in conjunction with partner technologies to develop advanced, intelligent sensing and control products. One such product is ThreatViewer™, which provides remote monitoring capabilities for industrial, military, and homeland security.

Augusta Systems technologies enable sensors, actuators, systems, and devices relying on a variety of protocols and systems, including wireless sensor networks (featuring ZigBee and other protocols), RFID systems, and imagery devices. The technologies support network-centric systems, IPv6, physical/IT security convergence, M2M communications, and other applications. As a result, the technologies reduce the total cost of ownership for distributed intelligent edge networks and maximize enterprise return on investment for enterprise network assets.