For over
a decade the LonMark organization
played a vital role in the development and adoption of open systems.
The LonMark Interoperability
Guidelines and LonMark Profiles
are widely recognized worldwide as an innovative, practical solution
to open systems. The Interoperability
Guidelines provide a solid foundation for testing and certifying
compliant products. Thus far, over 680 devices have been successfully
tested and certified by the LonMark organization.
Hardly a day goes by without a LonMark certified
device being specified or installed
in a home, building, industrial plant or transportation system.
Over the past year
end-users worldwide have been telling us that open devices are
fine, but they need more. They are happy with the growing
selection of certified products, but they also want to be able to
specify, purchase and install certified products in all elements of
the system.
Heeding the needs of industry, we decided to expand the technical
direction of LonMark International.
This new direction will ensure that all of the essential elements
required to design, install, configure, support
and upgrade a system are openly available from a variety of suppliers.
The new LonMark system
definition divides the system description into five categories: system
behaviors, devices, connectivity, device interfaces,
and network software and tools. The definition also covers the LonMark technique
for communications via the Internet using web services such as SOAP
and XML.
LonMark Task
Groups are now developing guidelines for certifying elements of the
LonMark system. If you
are interested in participating in this initiative, we encourage
you to join through the web forum. Please
remember, only members can participate in Task Groups. If you are not
a member and are interested in participating, please download and submit the membership
application.
Complementing the
system definition initiative is a new project within LonMark International
to better prepare systems and network integrators to deliver open
systems to industry. This program lead by the Systems
Integration Task Group is currently developing certification criteria
for systems integrators. This new initiative will help cultivate a
new generation of integrators that are better equipped to support the
needs of end users worldwide.
LonMark System Definition
-
LMIsystem.zip, Version
1.0,
2004-11-05 (27k).
