SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- June 3, 1998 -- Cisco Systems, Inc. and EchelonCorp. announced that they have agreed to jointly develop technology thatwill link Echelon's control networks with Internet Protocol (IP)-based datanetworks.
By integrating control networks in factories, buildings and homes withIP-based data networks, businesses and utilities will be able to migrateaway from expensive leased line phone networks and increase networkmanagement visibility into critical business process control systems.Echelon system integrators and developers will be able to expand into newmarkets by creating integrated applications for the enterprise, utility,building, industrial and home automation markets.
The two companies have signed a letter of intent under which they willdevelop a standard interface protocol for accessing building, industrialand home control devices through the Internet or other IP-based networkssuch as corporate intranets. This interface between Cisco IOS. softwarenetwork protocols and Echelon's LONWORKS. protocols will providecustomers and partners of Cisco and Echelon with a standard means ofmanaging and controlling Echelon's control network devices over an IP network.
In order to provide a high level of customer satisfaction, the twocompanies have also agreed to establish a conformance and testing lab atEchelon's facilities that will provide interoperability testing forcustomer solutions based on the new interface. Best practices andmethodology on migrating control networks away from expensive fixed leasedline networks towards flexible virtual private networks (VPNs) will bejointly developed in the competency center.
The interface is expected to incorporate elements of the recently announcedCisco NetWorks program and Echelon's LONWORKS Network Services (LNS)product family. The Cisco NetWorks program is a technology-licensingprogram intended to accelerate the availability of low-cost, easy-to-useInternet access devices, such as Internet phones and fax machines, cablemodems, set-top boxes and IP-based telemetry devices. Echelon's LNSproduct family provides directory services and access information intoLONWORKS control networks.
"We are already using LONWORKS networks and Cisco products in our meteringautomation and telecommunications services," said Jim Heisey, generalmanager of utility automation for C3 Communications, an Austin-basedsubsidiary of Central & Southwest. "The Echelon and Cisco developmentswill make our job easier by allowing us to extend the power of the Internetto our customers' metering and energy-related offerings in the highlycompetitive energy marketplace."
More and more commercial buildings worldwide are deploying control networksto connect building subsystems into a unified, interoperable system.Control applications allow for the management of non-computer devices usedin these subsystems. Today, these control networks generally are accessedover expensive, proprietary networks and are not easily accessed overinexpensive, standard IP-based networks. By extending the reach of theInternet to control networks, facility managers can be empowered to accessany point within a control network via their Internet browser from anywherein the world.
"We are currently completing a major automation project for BritishAirways' new combined business center, BA Waterside, near HeathrowAirport," said Paul Mason, a director with BWP plc, a UK-based buildingservices engineering firm with a long track record in innovativeengineering. "We are excited about the possibilities that integratedcontrol and the Internet will give us to improve the quality, performanceprofitability and productivity of our systems and operations. Thisdevelopment fits well into our aim of getting information to buildingoccupants."
"The success of the LONWORKS protocol has shown the importance ofstandards-based networking in industrial and residential settings.Seamlessly linking LONWORKS and IP networks is a logical step in extendingthe Internet to the control industry, further enabling competitiveadvantage from the Internet Revolution," said Steve Behm, vice president ofStrategic Alliances, Cisco Systems.
"Echelon and Cisco share similar visions regarding the importance ofproviding access to data - from both control devices and computing devices- throughout the enterprise," said Ken Oshman, president and CEO ofEchelon. "More and more of our customers are seeking transparentconnectivity between their control network solutions and IP. This linkwould offer customers widely available, open, standards-based products thatdeliver the connectivity they need."
About Echelon Corp.
Echelon Corp. is the developer of LONWORKS networks, recognizedinternationally as a standard for interoperable control networks. Withthousands of application developers and millions of devices installedworldwide, LONWORKS is a leading open, networked control solution forbuilding and home automation, industrial, transportation, and publicutility applications. Echelon offers a full range of off-the-shelf hardwareand software products to support the development, installation andmanagement of intelligent, open and interoperable control networks.Privately held, Echelon is based in Palo Alto, California withinternational offices in China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Italy, TheNetherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News and information areavailable at http://www.cisco.com.For more information visit Cisco PR Contacts
Cisco NetWorks is a trademark and Cisco, Cisco IOS, Cisco Systems and theCisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in theU.S. and certain other countries.
Echelon, the Echelon logo and LONWORKS are registered trademarks of EchelonCorporation registered in the U.S. and other countries. All othertrademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respectiveowners.
