Device controller - Is it necessary for a lab test?

[SCulhane]

Hi all,

Newbie here, nice to finally see an RFID with some actual SAP content and real life experiments

Anyway, we are about to start to test the AII with R/3 and we have purchased all the hardware (fixed and mobile readers). I was wondering whether it was to bypass the device controller and "plug" our readers directly into AII? I know that it wouldn't be realistic in a real life environment, but right now we are more interested in just making the thing work without spending too much $$$

Thanks,

Steve

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Steve!

> I was wondering whether it was to bypass the device

> controller and "plug" our readers directly into AII?

I'm not sure, what your question is about. Is it a) about to save money, because you don't want to develop a device controller or b) do you want to save the money for an extra device controller PC?

In case of a), SAP offers a device controller (written in JAVA) as a reference implementation. This device controller software is able to handle devices from various vendors. In case of b), you can install the device controller on the AII machine. In other cases, take care of the following:

The possibility, to "bypass" the device controller, depends on your reader hardware. The device controller software connects to SAP AII by using a http connection and is sending the messages (by HTTP_POST) in a kind of a xml format ("PML"). So, if you use a "intelligent" reader (i.e. a iPAQ with Windows CE on top), which is able to connect to the AII host via HTTP and is able to create XML messages (i.e. by using WLAN), your scenario is possible. But the reader needs a piece of software to create the http connection and handle the xml messages.

In most cases, the reader's are cheap and they do not offer such capabilities (no OS, no WLAN, small & cheap processors). Readers are typically dumb devices, which are connected (by RS232 oder USB) to some kind of a host (i.e. a device controller PC).

Those "dumb" readers only read every tag in their range periodically. Beside the problem, that you need a http/xml connection to AII, I'm not sure, if AII can handle multiple readings of the same tag and is able to filter those events (at the current release of AII).

Greetings,

Johannes

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Johannes,

To do a test, you can do 2 different things. One is to use a simulator application ( we use one from our partner connecTerra). Another is to use devices that can talk directly. Zebra has a method and a white paper to drive one of their printers directly from AII. The reader is a bit more work, but SAP has commissioned a driver for readers and training that was supplied by our partner ConnecTerra to drive a reader with AII input. Its very basic, but does help with testing. check Zebra for the instructions/white paper on their direct approach. Other options will be emerging, and let me know if you need input on the ConnecTerra/SAP issues.

Thanks,

Randy

[SCulhane]

All,

First of all, many thanks for all your answers, this is very much appreciated.

To clarify a couple of points:

- Our mobile reader is an Intermec IP3 coupled with a 750 mobile computer which runs WinCE, so I'm guessing that it is possible to connect directly to AII.

- For Johannes, the answer is a) We are poor and don't want to invest in a device controller at this point. Our current goal is more to test the R/3 - AII integration than to do technical tests on the RFID side.

A couple of extra questions:

- Johannes, you mention that SAP offers a JAVA device controller as a reference. Any idea where I may find that?

- What is the ball park price for a device controller? I know that this is probably an "it depends" question, so let's just say that we want to use 5 mobile readers for packing, 1 fixed reader to load and 2 printers to commission tags. For those of you who have dealt with vendors of device controllers, your comments/issues with them would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

[Former Member]

Hello All,

SAP created/used with the initial AII package, a Simple (JAVA) Device Controller with limited functionality. It supported an Alien ALR9780 reader, Intermec IntelliTag 500 API ( most of their readers support) and the Phillips SDK reader. I would ask that the SDN moderators track this down internally, as it is not readily available. Engagement with a device controller organization or reseller may enable you to obtain some simulators for testing. I will check into this as well.

AII Includes RFID reader simulation tools to test and process XML files (transaction /AIN/HTTP_TEST)

Pricing for middleware ( device controllers and administrative software ) is licensed by systems and numbers of devices. For example, ConnecTerra sells their edge server ( RFTagaware) that controls all the devices by instance and devices.

RFTagAware is licensed per instance of the Software; a separate license is required for each, concurrently operating instance. The price of a license is based on the number of readers attached to that instance of the Software. Ballpark pricing ranges from $ 15K for each instance up to about 10 readers, and increases from there. Packing station software is priced per station ( controls printers and readers actions) starting at around $ 30K and decreases as you buy more seats. Mobile or fixed readers count the same. If you would like more specific help on learning about or obtaining the software or perhaps a simulator for testing, contact me directly ( see my business card).

No prices are intended as a quote or offering, and are only provided as guidelines to retail pricing.

Thanks, Randy

[Former Member]

Hello Steve!

> Our current goal is more to test the R/3 -

> AII integration than to do technical tests on the

> RFID side.

You can't integrate AII with R/3 without using a XI between. Except you are going to do some programming in AII.

> A couple of extra questions:

> - Johannes, you mention that SAP offers a JAVA device

> controller as a reference. Any idea where I may find

> that?

You wrote, that you are using Intermec devices. Ask the Intermec support for the device controller for SAP AII. They have one.

> - What is the ball park price for a device

> controller?

A device controller is hardware specific. So, your hardware vendor should provide you with the necessary software. If not, you have to use some generic solution, which is normally much more expensive.

If you consider to program something by our own, take a look at the HTTP and XML capabilities of Microsofts .NET compact framework. It runs on Pocket PC 2002 and higher.

Communicating with AII is the easy part. You just need to be able to send XML messages, formatted using the PML specification publicly available from EPCglobal, and a HTTP library to transport the messages to AII.

Communicating with the RFID devices is the much more difficult part of it. You need to know how the data is organized on your RFID tag (EPC data tag formatting is standardized by EPCglobal), you need a OS specific driver for your reader interface (Intermec IP3 on WinCE/PocketPC) and you need a LAN/WLAN connection to AII.

Once you are able to read your tags, you will face a lot of troubles with reading errors, multiple readings and so on. Your DC software have to handle that.

You will find more on the DC stuff here: http://www.radioactivehq.org/ and here: http://www.i-konect.com/singularity/

Greetings,

Johannes

[priyanka_khaitan]

Hi Steve,

Direct Integration of devices with AII is possible. However, this is not scalable and is recommended only for lab settings. The integration is hardware specific and the device manufacturers are responsible for the integration. SAP is currently working with certain device manufacturers to enable direct integration with AII based on SAP's protocol.

Thanks,

Priyanka

[Former Member]

Hi Steve;

You may find Randy's response in this thread to the second part of Dirk's question a good answer to your question. The link that Dirk provided in his question is also a very interesting bit of reading that can shed some more light on the function of the device controller.

It is possible, yes, but you would be stuck with the task of essentially creating your own device controller to mangage the readers and bring in the tag data.

I would be very interested to hear if anyone has tried this on their own, and were successful. We thought about doing it, but in the end the extra cost was worth not having to go through all of the trouble of doing it ourselves.

Cheers and welcome!

-John