Axeda updates software for its DRM system

By Control Engineering Staff July 8, 2002

Mansfield, Mass.— Axeda Systems announced July 1 the immediate availability of release 1.5 of its Axeda Access application, a component of the Axeda Device Relationship Management (DRM) System. This solution provides secure, Internet-based remote desktop sharing between service and support specialists and remote computers installed at customer sites. Axeda Access 1.5 expands the supported platforms to provide access to devices running any version of Microsoft Windows and popular versions of the UNIX operating system, including Sun Solaris 8 and Linux.

The release also enhances features including unattended operation, device access control, multiple concurrent user sessions, and provides performance improvements. The product enables in-house technical support experts or field service engineers to access in real time and analyze conditions; make repairs; update and administer software; or assist with user operations on remote systems installed at customer sites. Axeda reports that enterprise-class user access management, session logging, data encryption and firewall-friendly communication technology ensure secure operation.

“Axeda is dedicated to helping companies deliver more responsive, proactive customer support through the remote monitoring and management of device information. Axeda Access extends our continuous-monitoring technology to make the remote service and administration of computers and software systems practical on a large scale,” says Dale Calder, Axeda’s president. “This new release builds on our established capability to offer support experts fast, direct access to complex devices and applications anywhere in the world. The result is more timely and accurate diagnosis of problems; elimination of unnecessary on-site service calls; and more effective repair leading to increased product uptime.”

The Axeda DRM System allows enterprises to use the Internet to remotely monitor, manage, and service intelligent devices, automating the real-time management of critical business and operational information. As part of Axeda DRM, Axeda Access works in conjunction with the Axeda Enterprise server and other Axeda applications, including Axeda Service and Axeda Administration, to provide a scalable environment for remote device management.

Axeda Access is a licensable enterprise software product—not a pay-per-minute service. It employs intelligent agent software on the target device to share that device’s desktop interface with one or more remote service technicians. The shared remote computer’s entire desktop appears in an Axeda Access window on the user’s computer—just as if it were local to the device. Technicians use their own keyboards and mice to operate the remote computer, including starting programs, closing and opening windows, and browsing folders and files. Two-way file transfer capabilities allow patches or updates to be downloaded and data logs or files to be securely uploaded for analysis. Sophisticated access control mechanisms allow only authorized technicians to set up sharing sessions. Access can be limited to specific capabilities on the target device, and sessions can be conducted either unattended or under the oversight of the system user.

Control Engineering Daily News Desk

Gary A. Mintchell, senior editor

gmintchell@cahners.com