PACSystems® RXi Platform Changes How Automation is Done

Press release:

17 July 2012

PACSystems® RXi Platform Changes How Automation is Done

 

• Next generation control platform designed for the needs of the Industrial Internet

• Integration of industry standard technologies, PROFINET and COM Express, to deliver ultimate flexibility and cost-effective upgrades for future control and cloud-based automation software environments

• Innovative rugged design in small form factor to enable factory floor computing, even in harsh environments

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. — JULY 17, 2012—GE Intelligent Platforms (NYSE: GE) today announced the PACSystems® RXi, the company’s revolutionary new control and computing platform designed for the needs of the Industrial Internet. Based on leading-edge computing and network technology, and supported by an emerging ecosystem of cloud-based support tools, the RXi will help customers gain productivity benefits from machine-to-machine connections and the skill sets of a digital native workforce. The RXi platform builds on GE’s deep expertise in the design of embedded control platforms as well as industry-standard open architecture technologies that deliver what companies in today’s economy need –- improved performance, integration into the Industrial Internet, and greater uptime and low total cost of ownership (TCO).

To provide the performance sophisticated control applications need today, the core of the product family is a COM Express architecture with multi-core CPUs, which will allow GE to offer a range of products that will be continually refreshed without impacting the user’s application. The RXi platform offers a full complement of high speed interfaces, with multiple gigabit Ethernet and USB 3.0 ports. These high performance features are coupled with GE’s PACSystems control engine to deliver uncompromised performance and application flexibility.

The PACSystems RXi family of controllers has built-in redundant PROFINET interfaces, delivering high performance, high uptime control solutions. RXi Industrial PC (IPC) configurations are unique in the industry, able to run HMI, Historian and analytics applications right at the machine, even in harsh environments. This facilitates better real time control of operations and improved integration into plant-wide and enterprise systems. The RXi platform fully supports GE’s new cloud-based collaborative automation platform development and deployment paradigm.

“The RXi controller is the next evolution of PAC controllers,” said Steve Pavlosky, Product General Manager for GE Intelligent Platforms’ Control & Communication Systems. “The RXi platform is a key element in our strategy to deliver high performance control solutions that can be developed, deployed, and maintained with our new collaborative, cloud-based automation platform – delivering true integration with the Industrial Internet. The platform’s PROFINET-based distributed architecture offers the best combination of high performance control with distributed I/O for lower installation and maintenance costs coupled with redundant I/O networking for high reliability. The RXi runs the same high performance PACSystems control engine found in our RX7i and RX3i products, enabling seamless application portability between form factors. The RXi platform can also be used as a rugged industrial PC platform for the flexibility of an industrial PC for factory floor computing with the reliability of a PLC.”

From a design perspective, the RXi controller is a departure from traditional systems. First, it has no local I/O which creates the basis for future upgradeability. Second, it has built-in PROFINET with ring redundancy to provide a simple to use, low installation cost, high performance redundant I/O network. With open standard PROFINET as the I/O network, users are free to choose best of breed I/O and other devices, like drives and vision systems, for use in their systems. Third, the ability to deploy the RXi architecture using both control and IPC modules interconnected provides a compact, high performance solution for applications requiring visualization, data archiving, or other advanced computational tasks at the point of control. Fourth, since it is based on standard Intel® architecture, GE can deliver control solutions with unique capabilities such as very large memory sizes and on-board storage capability. Finally, the integrated Intelligent Display Module allows users to perform standard maintenance functions without the need for a separate computer running programming software and creates a bridge that integrates the control system with the Industrial Internet.

The platform’s Industrial PC (IPC) is very small form factor, and is rugged and fanless, for companies looking for factory floor computing. GE’s rugged COM Express modular CPU platform incorporates patented thermal monitoring technology with sophisticated passive cooling techniques for a high performance computing “fanless” industrial computing and control platform, eliminating susceptibility to failure which can result in thermal shutdown of other IPC systems that rely on fans for cooling.

The design includes connectors on the controller and IPC so that the two products can be mounted together for cableless communications for applications where both control and computing are desired. The IPC can also be mounted on the back of a series of touch screen displays creating a family of modular panel IPCs.

“This platform supports several trends in the industry including control sustainability, standards based open architectures, computing and control at the machine level, and integration into the Industrial Internet,” continued Pavlosky. “Customers expect their manufacturing assets to outlast the control system. This new way of developing a control platform allows them to maintain their investment while taking advantage of the newest technologies to make their assets more productive, more reliable and more cost efficient.”

For more information: http://www.ge-ip.com/products/family/pac_systems_controllers.

About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

MAY 08, 2012

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News

New Panda Cloud Office Protection 6.0, The Only SaaS Endpoint Solution with Device Control Technology

• Panda Security’s new cloud-based service is the only SaaS endpoint solution with device control technology, enhancing security and productivity
• New Malware Freezer quarantines detected malware for a week, protecting the system in the event of a false positive
• For more information about Panda Cloud Office Protection 6.0, please visithttp://www.pandasecurity.com/enterprise/solutions/cloud-office-protection/

Panda Security, The Cloud Security Company, today announced the release of Panda Cloud Office Protection 6.0, the only Software-as-a-Service endpoint security solution that includes Device Controltechnologies designed to prevent the spread of malware through the improper use of external devices. These controls allow organizations to improve productivity by enforcing policies to deny access, force read-only access, or grant total access on multiple device types (USB flash drives, digital cameras, DVDs and more) through the PCOP Web-based console.

The new version also includes Malware Freezer, a module that ‘freezes’ detected malware for seven days by placing it in quarantine. This tool ensures system stability, restoring false positive files.

Panda Cloud Office Protection 6.0 is a cloud-based security service for PCs, servers and corporate laptops managed remotely from anywhere through its Web-based console.

Panda Cloud Office Protection’s infrastructure is fully hosted in the cloud, eliminating the difficulties managing remote users and hardware costs associated with a client-server security model. As always, Panda’s endpoint security service can be installed remotely, either through a distribution tool or email, without requiring the installation of a remote access add-on. The solution also offers group policies for advanced configuration of protection levels; concise and informative malware and threat reports; and a unified, centralized quarantine.

The new version is hosted in Windows Azure, a cloud platform hosted in Microsoft data centers and designed to support highly available, scalable and reliable applications. Windows Azure uses a set of privacy and security controls that ensure maximum protection of its hosted data and applications.

For more information, please visit http://www.pandasecurity.com/enterprise/solutions/cloud-office-protection/

PRESS RELEASE

Cisco Paves Way for CIOs to Fight Costly Voice Fraud, Theft and Service Attacks

Enables partners to develop applications that improve the security, visibility and control of the voice network; BT to deliver first service based on the technology

SAN JOSE, Calif. – May 8, 2012 – As IT managers look for ways to thwart voice fraud and other types of malicious activity, Cisco today announced the Cisco® UC Gateway Services API, a Web-based application programming interface (API) that could play a direct role in helping organizations deal with this problem. The API opens up the enterprise voice network edge to enable more voice services on the Cisco Integrated Services Router Generation 2 (ISR G2) router.

The Cisco UC Gateway Services API gives customers and partners easy access to call information—both signaling and media—at the network edge.  This information can be used to detect and thwart malicious activity, including but not limited to: social engineering and identity-theft scams, contact center account takeover fraud, unauthorized network access and service use, and even the telephony denial of service (TDOS) attacks that are often launched to divert attention while cyber-thieves drain bank accounts of cash or steal customer data from contact centers. Once malicious activity is detected, the Cisco UC Gateway Services API allows applications to apply appropriate policy action by the Cisco voice gateway, such as call termination, call redirection or call forking (for recording).

This advancement is important as global telecom fraud losses are estimated to be $40 billion annually, according to the Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA) Telecom 2011 survey.

The Cisco UC Gateway Services API is supported on the Cisco ISR G2 with the Cisco Unified Border Element (CUBE) for SIP trunks and Cisco TDM Gateways for TDM trunks, both of which provide voice connectivity to the service provider.  Therefore, the services enabled by this API can be extended across all voice gateways throughout the enterprise on a global basis to achieve dramatic improvement in control of the edge of the voice network no matter what technology the enterprise uses for voice connectivity.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

• BT is the first service provider to take advantage of the Cisco UC Gateway Services API by significantly bolstering its BT Assure Cloud Security Service, which until this point has focused mainly on data security services. Now, BT customers will be able to identify threats for voice and data globally in a single dashboard and mitigate these threats proactively. BT will be the only provider to offer a single view based on its ability to monitor and control real-time data and voice activity from the most widely used edge router in the industry, the Cisco ISR G2.
   
• The BT solution also uses the voice policy and security applications of SecureLogix.  SecureLogix is the first Cisco technology development partner to integrate its applications with the Cisco voice gateways using this new API and deliver a complete solution to help both service providers (like BT) and enterprises achieve a new level of visibility and control of their voice traffic over the network.
   
• Cisco enables these additional services without requiring additional devices at the network edge.  Third-party applications using the Cisco UC Gateway Services API can be run directly on the Cisco ISR G2 using the Cisco UCS Express server blade built for the router chassis, or can be accessed via the cloud.
   
• The information made accessible by the Cisco UC Gateway Services API can also be used in non-security-related cases, such as to ensure regulatory compliance via call recording and improve business operations with employee or departmental productivity and efficiency reports showing call volumes, durations, and other details.
   
• Cisco is also using the Cisco UC Gateway Services API to better integrate its own products into the Cisco TDM Gateway and CUBE.  For example, via the Cisco UC Gateway Services API, Cisco MediaSense can now dynamically select and record specific calls, which is useful in contact centers for quality monitoring purposes.  

SUPPORTING QUOTES:

Mark Lohmeyer, vice president of product management, Cisco

"Cisco has a long history of innovation. Innovative services made possible by the Cisco UC Gateway Services API add value to our session border control and TDM gateway offerings and bring added visibility and control to the voice network."

Jeff Schmidt, global head of business continuity, security & governance, BT Global Services

"With Cisco and SecureLogix, BT can provide the industry's first enterprise-wide security solution for both data and voice, which includes TDM and SIP trunking, integrated onto a single platform - the Cisco ISR G2. Our customers now have a single view of their network that allows them to proactively identify threats and dynamically control the network to prevent attacks."
 

Lee Sutterfield, president, SecureLogix

"Through Cisco's open API for TDM and SIP trunking, we are able to help customers gain control and secure their entire network as they transition to SIP with just a single application.  By integrating our solution on the Cisco ISR using the UCS Express, we were able to help our customers streamline the network edge by eliminating devices."

Cisco UC Gateway Services API (http://developer.cisco.com/web/gsapi)

Cisco Unified Border Element (CUBE) (www.cisco.com/go/cube)

Cisco TDM Gateways (www.cisco.com/go/tdmgateways)

Unified Communications on Cisco ISRs (www.cisco.com/go/uconisr)

SecureLogix press release (http://press.securelogix.com/cisco-may2012)
BT (www.bt.com)

Technorati Tags:
unified communications, Cisco Developer Network, collaboration, Cisco Unified Border Element, Cisco TDM Gateways, Cisco Integrated Services Router, ISR G2

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go tohttp://newsroom.cisco.com.

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Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.