Oracle unveils RFID capabilities for warehouse management

The next version of Oracle Warehouse Management software will include new radio frequency identification (RFID) and Electronic Product Code (EPC) capabilities, the company announced today. The capabilities will help suppliers comply with recent mandates from Wal-Mart and the Department of Defence, and enable companies to reduce warehouse and distribution costs through improved inventory control and extended supply chain visibility.

Oracle Warehouse Management will leverage Oracle Database 10g and Oracle Application Server 10g to provide a comprehensive RFID platform that can accommodate large volumes of transactional data and improve order fulfilment operations.

"Companies are increasingly evaluating RFID technology for its potential to dramatically change the economics of shipping, receiving and inventory management," said Jeff Woods, principal analyst at Gartner. "Enterprises that can leverage RFID to create RFID-centric processes in order fulfilment, manufacturing and warehousing will achieve strategic differentiation from their competitors."

The new version of Oracle Warehouse Management will enable pallet- and case-level tagging for automatic processing of inbound and outbound shipments. With Oracle`s new capabilities, companies will be able to easily identify, track and manage pallets and cases as they move through the supply chain.

The improved order visibility will enable organizations to make more informed decisions about production, inventory stock, delivery promise dates, and quickly adapt to fluctuating market demands. Additionally, the automated, real-time tracking capabilities will help improve security and cut costs associated with manual processes.

Oracle Warehouse Management will provide:

* Capabilities allowing for compliance with the requirements of Wal-Mart and the Department of Defence, which mandates their top 100 suppliers incorporate RFID tags in all pallet shipments by 2005, for RFID pallet and case labelling;

* Compatibility with RFID tags, reading and printing devices from leading companies including Alien Technology Corporation, Intermec Technologies Corp and Zebra Technologies;

* Support for generating and using labelling in RFID initiated transactions within the enterprise; and

* Built-in integration with the RFID middleware component in Oracle Application Server 10g for connection control and filtering capabilities required when receiving data.

As RFID technology is adopted, new challenges emerge when ultra large volumes of data enter systems. This data, which can encompass all aspects of the supply chain - including order entry, manufacturing, maintenance, shipping, receiving, and inventory - will push the boundaries of data warehousing scalability, performance and manageability.

To address this, Oracle Warehouse Management will use both Oracle Database 10g and Oracle Application Server 10g to efficiently and securely move and manage RFID data. By taking advantage of Oracle`s data management expertise, Oracle Warehouse Management customers will be able to track, store and manipulate RFID in real-time, without compromising security, high availability and performance. Additionally, companies using Oracle 10g products to manage RFID data will be able to identify hidden trends and patterns in order fulfilment, uncover new cost reduction opportunities and reduce business risks.