RFID (Radio frequency identification) is method of identifying unique assets using radio waves. This is typically achieved with communication between a scanner or reader and a tag that contains data on a microchip.  Applications of this include cost effective real time asset solutions that will, once implemented, increase profitability and efficiency.

The adoption of RFID brings significant IT challenges but within those challenges there lie opportunities.   Current company need surrounds finding ways "to connect all RFID data that's collected at the edge - including RFID data, sensory technology data, data from handhelds - and integrate that into their overall operations. Only a third of companies are reported being able to integrate, onto a common IT infrastructure, RFID-related processes and technology across their entire corporation."

The RFID Software Environment

Software can be considered in two general categories viz. that driving the RFID devices and     readers, and the data provided to I.T. The former is well defined whilst the later is experiencing problems of demands. These demands challenge IT to deliver more complex information processing, better integration,and other improvements:

• An explosion of data to manage
• New interaction between the physical world and IT world
• Making RFID data meaningful to end users
• Far-flung geographic distribution
• New kinds of data to exchange
• Ensuring extensibility and innovation