Datastream Announces New Geographic Information System Capabilities
Datastream 7i Web-Services Architecture Enables Full Integration with ESRI Applications;
Delivers Powerful Capabilities to State & Local Governments and Other Distributed Organizations
San Diego, Calif. - August 9 2004 (From Booth #1631 at the ESRI User Conference) – Datastream Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: DSTM) today announced from the ESRI User Conference that it is offering new Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities through the integration of Datastream 7i™ and applications from ESRI, the world-leader in GIS technology. This functionality delivers powerful capabilities to Datastream’s customers by enabling the integration of ESRI-based GIS functionality into the Datastream 7i Asset Performance Management solution. In addition, Datastream 7i functionality can be utilized within ESRI applications.
Datastream 7i is based on a Web-Services Architecture that enables the creation of easy-to-use and easy-to-configure zero-footprint HTML interfaces. These interfaces can be used to access functionality from other applications, such as those from ESRI. Users can also embed Datastream 7i functionality into other applications. For example, a municipal worker whose primary application is ESRI can pinpoint the location of a manhole and retrieve the entire Datastream 7i maintenance history on that manhole and each pipe entering and exiting that manhole without leaving the GIS application. Likewise, a Datastream 7i user may receive a work order to respond to an odor complaint and retrieve ESRI data to identify the sewer lines in that vicinity (along with their history of inspection and maintenance) without leaving the Datastream 7i application.
Workers can achieve further efficiencies through features like the Datastream 7i GIS Map Search. This enables workers to map out locations of multiple assets so they can more effectively plan and perform scheduling. For example, a person responsible for flushing dead-end lines can locate every dead-end hydrant in town and map out a route representing the shortest path covering all of them.
“Web services enables ‘loosely coupled’ application integration so if one application is changed or upgraded, it does not impact the overall integration,” said Datastream Senior Vice President of Development Javier Buzzalino. “With traditional ‘hard-wired’ client/server integration, a change to one application requires that a brand new integration be built. This can quickly become too cumbersome and costly to justify the integration.”
The interfaces to Datastream 7i can be configured to match the roles and processes of end-users, thus reducing training requirements and improving overall product usability. Datastream 7i already provides comprehensive GIS support for discrete assets, such as vehicles, buildings, parks and other infrastructure. The integration with ESRI adds best-of-breed capabilities for managing linear assets such as sewer lines, water distribution systems, pipelines, electrical networks and highways.
“The Datastream 7i GIS module is critical to our overall strategy of integrating Asset Performance Management, GIS and customer relationship management to deliver superior services to citizens,” said Stephen Sherman, GIS manager for the City of Greensboro. “Today we can respond much more quickly to infrastructure issues because our call center solution is integrated directly with Datastream 7i. Through its GIS capability, Datastream 7i provides a simple ‘point and click’ way to identify the location of assets, as well as each asset’s complete maintenance history. This enables us to resolve issues much more quickly and cost-effectively than ever before, while also capturing all of the associated costs.”
The City of Greensboro must manage a complex infrastructure that includes 1,100 miles of roadway, 2,900 miles of water and sewer lines, over 90,000 refuse and recycling containers, as well as all municipal buildings and more than 3,100 parks and beautification areas. The integration of Datastream 7i with ESRI enables the City of Greensboro to provide point-and-click information on any asset within the city — from storm sewer lines, to fire hydrants, to street lights — on any type of device, from desktop and notebook computers to handhelds. This radically shortens the time required to locate and maintain assets within the public infrastructure, which means higher quality and more cost-effective public services for citizens.
“By delivering these new GIS capabilities, Datastream 7i solidifies its position as the leading Asset Performance Management solution for distributed organizations, like government entities, transportation agencies and oil and gas companies,” said Datastream President and CEO Larry Blackwell. “These capabilities are particularly powerful in the public sector where linear assets are so critical to delivering services to citizens. By providing comprehensive asset location and history information with the click of a mouse, Datastream 7i enables government organizations to repair breakdowns more quickly and use preventive maintenance to reduce the risk of power outages, road closures, water main breaks and other disruptive events.”
About Datastream Systems, Inc.
Datastream Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: DSTM) provides Asset Performance Management software and services to enterprises worldwide, including more than 65 percent of the Fortune 500. Datastream’s solutions combine world-class asset management functionality with advanced analytics to deliver a powerful platform for optimizing enterprise asset performance.
By using Datastream’s solutions, customers can maintain and manage capital assets – such as manufacturing equipment, vehicle fleets and buildings – and create analyses and forecasts so they can take action to improve future performance. Datastream’s flagship product, Datastream 7i™, delivers a complete Asset Performance Management infrastructure by combining an Internet, Web services architecture with broad enterprise asset management functionality, integrated procurement, advanced analytics and multi-site capability.
Datastream was founded in 1986 and has customers in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.datastream.net.
Datastream and Datastream 7i are marks of Datastream Systems, Inc. (“Datastream” or the “Company”). All other products or Company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to: increasing competition in the markets in which the Company competes; the stability of certain of the Company's strategic relationships, including those with suppliers of maintenance, repair and operations parts; the ability of the Company to: sell larger and more complex software solutions, successfully transition to the development of further Internet-based products, successfully implement an application service provider business model, enhance its current products and develop new products that address technological and market developments; and other risk factors listed from time to time in Datastream’s SEC reports, including, but not limited to the "Risk Factors" contained in the Datastream’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003. Datastream does not have, and expressly disclaims, any obligation to release publicly any updates or any changes in the Company's expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based.