May 22, 2003 — Bellevue, WA — A major European company needed to integrate condition-monitoring data on vital water station pumps. However, it was presented with a serious challenge when it found the databases they used were incompatible. ITTIA ODBC enabled the data to be access and shared among applications using Microsoft SQL, Sybase and Oracle databases.
TRITEC, Lda. currently uses SKF Condition Monitoring's Prism4 system in its process monitoring station to survey pressure, vibration and other operating variables. The TRITEC version of Prism4 provides multiple pre-defined application functions, and stores logs and test records in an embedded database. This database was proprietary, and could not be accessed with standard data access tools.
A USDATA FactoryLink process monitoring and control system is also deployed at TRITEC, Lda. for supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) requirements. TRITEC was unable to integrate Prism4 data into the platform because that software lacks an ODBC (Open DataBase Connectivity) interface. Without such an interface, Prism4's vital data could not be integrated into the SCADA system. TRITEC knew that lacking critical water pump monitoring data would result in process decisions being made without all relevant data.
ITTIA ODBC unlocked the hidden data in Prism4 and created a “pipeline” via an ODBC interface to allow pump condition data to flow into the FactoryLink system. By including ITTIA ODBC, the valuable data collected by Prism4 can be exported to database applications such as Microsoft SQL, Sybase, Oracle and others. Just as easily, data can be exported to common ODBC-compatible desktop tools such as Microsoft Excel, Access and Crystal Reports for ad hoc reporting and analysis.
TRITEC technical manager Eric Serrano said: "[ITTIA ODBC] allowed us to synchronize the hidden data with other platforms easily and smoothly.” With ITTIA ODBC, TRITEC was able to insure optimum information availability and could make more informed decisions; without the disruption and expense of a full system upgrade or platform migration.
"IT infrastructure requires large investments, but why replace a working system when data access and integration capabilities are all that are really needed?" ITTIA President Sasan Montaseri said. "ITTIA provides technology to achieve cross-platform data exchange in a cost effective manner. We would be delighted to talk to other users of Prism 4 about how ITTIA ODBC can provide greater interoperability and cost savings."
About ITTIA
ITTIA, through its innovative data access solutions, strives to create products that allow information to flow freely so companies have access to the knowledge they need to make good decisions. ITTIA's products include ITTIA ODBC, which unlocks proprietary databases and allows other tools, such as Microsoft Access and Excel, to access otherwise hidden data; and db.linux, a lightweight but very powerful database engine for Linux platforms.
