August 8, 2002 — Bellevue, WA — Engineers at the U.S. Air Force's leading test and development center have adopted ITTIA's RDMi to resolve a data access challenge. By using RDMi for ODBC access to PRISM4, the team avoided a system migration and improved their system's ability to share data and processes with new applications.
The Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center currently uses SKF Condition Monitoring's Prism4 system in its instrumentation lab to analyze vibration in electric motors and other components. The Arnold AFB team's version of Prism4 provides a variety of pre-defined application functions, and stores equipment logging and test information in an embedded database.
The Air Force's engineers found that Prism4 met their needs effectively and economically. To add additional system features, the team selected National Instrument's LabVIEW, a programming tool used widely for instrumentation control. To interoperate with the LabVIEW database, Prism4 would need to support the ODBC data standard.
Adding ODBC support to Prism4 offered the most cost-effective means of integrating new LabVIEW-based applications into the lab's well-functioning IT infrastructure, compared to the alternatives of launching a complex system upgrade or a migrating to a expensive application entirely.
The developers found their solution in ITTIA's RDMi ODBC driver. ITTIA's technology, adds ODBC compatibility to Prism4 without disrupting the underlying technology foundation. ITTIA technology met the Arnold AFB lab?s current and future needs while adding value to Prism4, an IT solution that was meeting their needs well.
"RDMi connected easily and communicates with LabVIEW flawlessly," according to a consultant who worked on evaluating RDMi with the Air Force's Prism4 system. "With it, developers gain the flexibility to continue benefiting from Prism4's advanced features, while customizing the system as desired."
"No one looks forward to a system overhaul. ITTIA's ODBC driver eliminated this need, allowing us to get to data and to do our own analysis using methods and algorithms we've developed. RDMi together with Prism 4 provides outstanding cost-effectiveness," the consultant said.
"Organizations invest heavily in IT infrastructure, and naturally prefer to extend well-functioning systems rather than replace them," ITTIA President and CEO Sasan Montaseri said. "We are committed to providing technology to help achieve this goal. It is a pleasure to work with the Arnold Engineering Development Center team, and we would be delighted to talk to other users of Prism 4 about RDMi for greater openness and cost savings."
About the Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center
The Arnold Engineering Development Center at Arnold Air Force Base is the world's most diverse complex of aerospace flight simulation test facilities. Since it opened in 1951, the center has been involved in the development of nearly all U.S. military and NASA high-performance aircraft, missiles and space systems. The center's gas turbine and rocket engine propulsion test cells, aerodynamic and propulsion wind tunnels, space chambers and ballistic ranges can simulate virtually every aspect of flight from ground level to deep space. Ground testing before flight reduces risks, saves lives, equipment, and money in operational testing and use. For more information about AEDC visit the center's Internet Web site at www.arnold.af.mil.
About ITTIA
Founded in February 2000, ITTIA provides solutions for embedded data management, information mobilization, and data integration. The company provides easy access for businesses that need critical information immediately, from traditional PCs, Web clients and emerging mobile devices. ITTIA experts offer experience with various embedded databases and provide services including database design, application development, performance optimization and tuning, design reviews and mobile platform selection. For more information, please visit www.ittia.com.
