Digi APAC Conference ------------- Kunming Yunnan China Nov 2008

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Digi International (Minnesota USA) holds a conference every year in an APAC area, around this time of the year.

It is MasTec's 4th year of attendance as a distributor for both Digi and Rabbit Products.

MasTec staff have been using Rabbit products since 1983 and then marketing and selling Rabbit products since 1991 in New Zealand

MasTec started marketing and selling Maxstream products (now Digi XBEE, Xtream and Xtend) in 2002

When Digi purchased both these companies, MasTec was assigned an expanded range of Digi products to market and sell in NZ.

This year 2008, Digi purchased two new companies.

• Sarian based in the UK. A world leader in Cellular W-WAN maker. This was strategic and expands the Wireless Cellular and WiFi Data Transport Technology considerably.
• Spectrum in Minneapolis USA this year, an integration company, well know for developing Wireless Systems, again to assist in the growing need for turn key wireless solutions in the IP based Infrastructure Wireless Environment.

Each APAC conference sees a release of new applications, products and technologies. This one was no different.

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The high-lite of the whole conference for us was the release of the Digi DAQ Development Framework Software as an Alpha kit for Distributors to start develop with. This product will eventually evolve into a released product in 2009 that we can provide to you.

The DAQ - as it is called- allows the building of a complete measurement monitoring and control system using DiN, Drop in Network and W-WAN hardware right back to the enterprise server web interface without programming. --- A huge task until now.

The DAQ tool will expand as more device drivers and pieces are added to the framework. Users will be encouraged to release their work also to Digi. A development program will be announced at some point for this user group.

MasTec will have one of these DAQ development systems in house shortly and will offer to demonstrate it, once we are up and running like we did witht eh Zigbee Kit and tools. So watch for that announcement.

Ask about this if you have an interest, as you may be able to become a Beta user.

DAQ builds an Enterprise Network with a No-Programming Framework - using Digi and other hardware and software parts –

• Endpoint Adaptors
• Endpoint Devices
• Embedded Radio
• Routers
• PANs and LANs
• Gateways
• Cellular W-WAN Services
• Provisioning and Billing
• Control Centers
• Network Management
• Network Messaging
• Network Storage
• Enterprise Applications WAN
• Enterprise Servers

This is a huge landscape of ability, across vast distances if required, linking end point data and control e.g. msgs, alarms, temperature, humidity, light level, energy use, On, Off etc to Enterprises systems transparently.

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Much of the conference was discussions on end user applications already in place.

Digi Applications - The Big List

Digi Site Testimonials - The Big List

Rabbit Success Stories - The Big List - ask about NZ success stories also from MasTec, there are some quite large export NZ built products that have been shipping for several years now.

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The Current Digi DiN and DAQ Focus

• Lighting Control - street lights
• Smart Water/Irrigation - a precious resource
• Tank Monitoring - how many tanks are there in NZ that need monitoring??
• Smarter Energy - load shedding or optimisation
• Mobile Resource management - nomadic assets and fleets

Just looking at tanks - here are some examples that can be monitored

• Oil & Gas
• Speciality Chemicals
• Industrial Gases
• Grains
• Fertilizers
• Water
• Waste Water
• Plastic and Resins
• Dry Bulk Goods and Powders
• Food ad Beverage ingredients
• Commercial Inks, paints & pigments
• and many many more

Is there an interest there for you?? Let us know. We see tanks as a huge thing in NZ - as the distance and cost of transport is very high.

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Digi has just put up a new Website to show off the conference product releases and more at their best - web

I could write heaps but links are best and get you there quicker. - just pop the pages and see if something catches your eye.

 

• DiN - Drop in Networks - covers everything old and new - link
• DiN Starter Kits to play with - link
• Gateways - old and newer gateways - new X3 tough heavy equipment gateways - ask about this for Mobile Assets - link + specs + docs
• W-WAN Cellular - 3G - GPRS - CDMA - DSL - Ethernet - GPS - PSTN - USB - Telemetry Routers + Switches +++ - link + transport family + Connectport WAN

     Note this is the most complete cellular W-WAN product offering from low to high end from any manufacturer and pricing to beat almost anyone.

• WiFi - Boxes, single port, multi port, ARM Embeddable - link
• Zigbee Mesh - Embeddable modules, routers and adaptors - soon surface mount - link
• Digi Mesh - extends on the Zigbee mesh idea and applies to 2.4GHZ and 900MHZ long haul radios - has only one node type - link - read
• Point to Multipoint - 2.4 GHZ and 900 MHz radios - embeddable, boxes and industrial units - link
• Connectware Manager - abstraction of local + remote system - device configuration, firmware, troubleshooting, alarming, apps, web services - link + specs

Soon

• Connectware Messaging - message queuing, transfer, receipt notification to end points- using web services msg building - part of DAQ - soon
• Connectware Storage - customer apps use XML user data storage msgs to connectware to cache or archive unitl cellular service used efficiently to back haul cache. ( save some money ). - part of DAQ - soon
• Connectware Wireless - A digi service 7*24*365 global cellular network with full admin, selectable plans, alarms and alerts - part of DAQ - soon
• Connectware Control Center - Web based service from Digi - provisioning the complete network, devices and services - part of DAQ - soon
• DAQ - Extensible Framework for DAQ - Device location and type transparent to customer - simple web based query from host app - pull data out of any gateway in a customisable way for upstream apps or control at end points from upstream apps. - No Programming solution - Now that sounds better - Connectware parts key elements - soon.
• TXU example of all of the above - Digi Eco System - DAQ was used to make a system for Texas Utility control for monitoring tens of thousands of houes electrical energy usage and allowing remote load shedding plus a web connection for each house to allow energy optimisation and usage - read about this

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Digi Webinars

Sign up for the new batch - includes Digi, Rabbit, Sarian products. - link

or

View current as a podcast or download video - View a huge array of simple to advanced topics with industry experts.- Very quick way to learn. . - link

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Rabbit has New Products - web

• Dynamic C 10 -for Rabbit 5000 with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) - 128-bit encryption for transfer of sensitive data. - Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) - Industry standard web security for embedded applications. - link
• Rabbit 5400 WiFi - link
• Rabbit 5000 chipset - link
• Rabbit RIO chip - maybe a way out of a sticky IO corner - get a whole lot for very little - 40MHZ clock - interface with SPI - link
• Rabbit 5000 Mini Core - Very exciting new product - front page on Rabbit site right now - link
• RCM 5700 Mini Core - more
• RCM 5700 Development Kit - Std $49 USD - Deluxe $99 USD (+ GST + Freight + Handling)

There is a lot more Rabbit product coming -- so please contact us -- so we can keep you in the inside loop on these products.

The most compelling reason for using Rabbit - Easy Easy Easy - that is what all uses say after a research project by Rabbit.

Dozens of application examples, dozens of libraries, full source for many, COS OS available, no license and Multi Tasking Dynamic C.

Dynamic C development software environment is complete and allows debugging to register level over a serial cable or USB, no dramas or high costs.

Note -- The new Mini Cores almost defy anyone to design and build and maintain from scratch an 8 or 16 bit micro system that will be short to mid size production runs - the cost is so low.

Ask before you start - don't get caught with no advancement path - don't re-event the wheel.- don't let those young excitable design engineers get you trapped in something very custom - they may leave you with it??!!

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Some Technical Terms:-

PANs - Private Area Networks (zigbee mesh) -

W-WANs - Wireless Wide Area Networks (3G Cellular + CDMA + WiFi + WiMAX) + Ethernet + DSL Roll overs with POTS as final roll over.

Endpoint - Remote end device of a PAN - usually wireless - with Comms or ADC or DIO to a remote sensor, controller or data source or control point of some type.

Gateway - The exit and entry point for the data going in and out of the PAN - The gateway is often a W-WAN device- but also can be simple - a Zigbee Module

PANs Expanded:-

Point to Point

• P>P PAN is a wireless comms connection to an endpoint.
• ( Digi Xtend and Xtream )
• example - Endpoint RS-232 transceiver connected to a PLC >< RF connection >< Gateway - another RS-232 Transciever connected to a PC.

Point to Multipoint

• P>P PAN is a wireless comms connection to many endpoints.
• ( Zigbee Series One )
• example - Many Endpoint RS-232 transceiver connected to many PLC >< RF connection >< Gateway - another RS-232 Transciever connected to a PC.

Zigbee Mesh

• ZM> PAN is a wireless comms connection to many endpoints through many RF pathways via PAN end points and PAN routers and PAN bridges - a self healing PAN with many pathways for data to pass - in a mesh.
• ( Zigbee Series 2, ZNet 2.5, ZB )
• example - Many Endpoint Zigbee endpoint devices >< RF connection >< Gateway - X2 Gateway to ethernet network and the web.

Note that Zigbee doesn't always equal Mesh. - There are many levels of Zigbee and other networks similar to Zigbee - proprietary Digi Mesh

Digi Mesh -

• DM> PAN is a wireless comms connection to many endpoints through many RF pathways via PAN end points and PAN routers and PAN bridges - a self healing PAN with many pathways for data to pass - in a mesh - all parts can sleep -excellent for battery operation as in DiN - Drop in Networks.
• ( Digi 802.15.4 Mesh - 9Xtend Mesh - big distances)
• example - Many Endpoint Zigbee endpoint devices >< RF connection >< Gateway - X2 Gateway to ethernet network and the web.

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So there you have it.

I enjoyed this Digi conference and also China very much.

I have been going to these types of things now fo 25 years or more, this one was excellent.

Where the conference was held (Kunming) was at 6600 feet, no pollution, clean and very friendly happy people.

They are planting thousands of trees in this city, all along the roads and open areas.

There is a new section to the city with dozens maybe hundreds of new good looking apartment blocks.

Almost all buildings have solar hot water heaters, some extremely large systems, all stainless steel.

Roads in and out of the city are all toll -- without a lot of traffic.

Inside the city it is mostly electric motor scooters - no noise or pollution.

There is the occasional horse and cart on the road also.

China, in this area, is in rapid transition.

We all had a great time.

 

All the best for XMAS and the holidays.

 

MasTec will be open all the way through the holidays except on the stats.

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• MasTec Ltd.
• 1/7 Torrens Rd, East Tamaki
• Auckland 2013, New Zealand
• Tel : 64 9 273 4200
• Fax: 64 9 273 9500
• Mail : info@mastecnz.co.nz
• Web http://www.mastec.co.nz

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MasTec Staff Contacts :-

Functions	Handle	Pronunciation
Administration	Saera.Moala@mastecnz.co.nz	Sara Moala
Spot Buy Sales - All products	Saera.Moala@mastecnz.co.nz	Sara Moala
OEM accounts liason and logistics	Saera.Moala@mastecnz.co.nz	Sara Moala
OEM Automation Instrumentation Wireless Manager	loyal.noronha@mastecnz.co.nz	Loyal Noronha
Automation Instrumentation Wireless Sales	loyal.noronha@mastecnz.co.nz	Loyal Noronha
OEM LED Lighting Manager	manasi.gaonkar@mastecnz.co.nz	Mancy Gaonkar
Automation Instrumention Wireless LED Sales	manasi.gaonkar@mastecnz.co.nz	Mancy Gaonkar
OEM Power Manager	dhara.pandya@mastecnz.co.nz	Dara Pandya
Power and Alternative Power Sales	dhara.pandya@mastecnz.co.nz	Dara Pandya
Power Dealers	marketing@mastecnz.co.nz	Jeannie Murdoch
Strategic Marketing	marketing@mastecnz.co.nz	Jeannie Murdoch
Product Development for SWS	rob.maskell@mastecnz.co.nz	Rob Maskell
Software Development LabVIEW, Dynamic C, Python and PLCs	rob.maskell@mastecnz.co.nz	Rob Maskell
AC~DC Power Ltd	voltage@acdcpower.co.nz	Rob Maskell

Please send Jeannie Murdoch in Marketing any updates on company details, any new staff members etc

Please contact our staff for any products, Loyal, Saera, Dhara, Manasi, Jeannie are always pleased to help

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Smartworks Engineer.. Projects & Products

Nov 2008

I am looking for an technican/engineer to work under contract on the SWS current product lines and new product development.

At present we are getting projects involving SMS, GPRS, Zigbee.

Also the Windows Test System products and Geotechnical products and projects continue to come in.

We are also starting to manufacture customers products now and any one with assembly experience would be welcome.

This position requires a person with mechanical, electronic fabrication, electrical, analog and digital electronics, micros and PLCs, PC instrumentation and DAQ, programming skills ( LV, Dynamic C, Texmate Basic, Array PLC ) and anything else you can think of that may be useful.

Please send your CV to info@mastecnz.co.nz addressed to Rob Maskell