FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IEC's ICELAN-G ™

Integrated Control Environment for LONWORKS® Application Networks

The Complete Solution

December 15, 1997

Advanced LONWORKS Network Management Tool

IEC Intelligent Technologies is pleased to announce its release of ICELAN-G™, Version 3.3, the most advanced, graphically based, LONWORKS network management, monitoring, and control software product available today. "IEC pioneered the graphical approach to the creation and management of LONWORKS networks and continues to lead the market in the application of this technology. The following significant innovations are a testament to IEC’s commitment to extending this technology," stated Mr. Stewart Goldenberg, Chief Technical Officer of IEC Intelligent Technologies.

Key features of this version include:

Restoring Unresolved Connections. ICELAN-G can now improve the speed of commissioning networks that contain nodes with dynamic applications. Say for instance, you have a node previously installed and bound on your network. For some reason, you have to download a new application into the node that changes the external interface (network variable definitions) of the program previously contained in the node. When you deconfigure the node prior to downloading the new application, ICELAN-G remembers the connections. With one simple step, you can restore those connections without performing each individual binding.

User selected default channel type and hardware properties for your new projects. Many users have suggested that ICELAN-G should default to channel types and hardware properties for new projects other than the defaults that ICELAN-G asserted in the past. You can now specify in ICELAN-G's .INI file which channel type and hardware properties you wish to use as defaults for your new projects. Say for instance that most of your work is performed on free topology channels using 3150® Neuron® chips and a 5 MHz clock. You set up these defaults in the .INI file, and they will always be defined in your new projects.

Cut and paste node icons. You can now move node icons between locations by cutting and pasting them. In the location screen, simply select a node icon and use either the node, cut and paste menu items, or the Control x and v keys to cut and paste the node icon to a different location.

The following functionality was added to version 3.2, and are still an integral part of ICELAN-G. These were added to extend your capabilities, whether you are a LONWORKS network installer, developer or end-user:

Download Application Wizard - downloads the same application to many nodes in one simple process. It guides you through the process, then performs all of the download operations automatically while you perform other tasks. This wizard also saves and restores the values of user defined sets network variables.

Query Nodes - monitors the health and status of all the nodes and routers in a LONWORKS network. This feature automatically queries the node’s status at user selectable intervals. Faulty nodes or routers are highlighted with a message dialog and are also written to a file, a printer, or both devices.

Discover Nodes - via a query/wink scenario – ICELAN-G interrogates your LONWORKS network, identifies all uninstalled nodes and steps you through the installation process.

Graphical Template Binder - creates graphical binding templates that automate repetitive network variable connections. These are global templates, so they can be applied to multiple projects without redefinition for either off-line application development or during network commissioning (online).

Network Management and Maintenance - supports the installation of virtually any LONWORKS node in either off-line or on-line modes.

Advanced Network Variable Browser - powerful diagnostic tool defines the status of network variables and structures, including user defined variables and nested structures.

Password Security - fourteen major functions are individually selectable on a need to use basis.

Multiple Views - shows network topology or floorplan views. Supports both bit-mapped graphics and DXF display formats.

Expanded Validation - verifies the program ID and communications parameters before installation and application download.

"These are just a few of the many enhancements that offer OEMs, systems integrators and end users a quantum leap forward in capability and ease of use," continued Mr. Goldenberg, "and are the result of suggestions from our many satisfied customers. ICELAN-G is truly a world class product offering with the best price performance of any LONWORKS technology software product! I invite you to contact IEC and Experience The Real Power - ICELAN-G!"

Pricing

The ICELAN-G family of software consists of ICELAN-G Plus, ICELAN-G Lite and ICELAN-G NetMan. These modular and scaleable configurations, have all the power you need in one familiar and intuitive environment. However, you have the flexibility to deliver your applications with the functionality required, and pay only for what you use without giving up the requirements for either compatibility or extendibility.