Individual Software
Industry 4.0 meets IT Security meets Open Source
Digitalisation is only finished when processes mesh smoothly and all aspects are covered with professional solutions. Open source therefore plays an important role.
« We develop individual software that supports our customers in their unique processes and requirements. In doing so we think outside of the box and analyse demands already during conceptional activities. Thereby we realise long-term solutions that are ready for future challenges. »
Software optimises processes through the combination of existing components, new workflows and automatism and enables faster completion of tasks, additional information and generation of outcomes. Extended activities can be picked up. Individual software provides competitive advantages as it is custom-tailored and meets individual demands.
Software enables networked manufacturing and profitable single piece production. In administration, organisation or sales department, individual software helps to break new ground, generate additional turnover or save costs.
In the context of software and hardware development, security is an important keyword. Long-term structures have to provide long-term security - or mechanism that allow security updates and upgrades. These aspects should never be missed in the development.
Modern systems usually base upon open source components as these are transparent, stable and long-term supported and have high advantages compared to proprietary systems. Since our foundation we use open source tools and components since our foundation and are pleased to consult you in choosing the fitting systems.
Development of individual Software and databases
Individual processes need special software structures and extensive databases. We realize solutions containing simple import and export functionalities, the administration of members using a comprehensive tool, the scheduling of meetings and addresses as well as complex archiving and documentation systems and knowledge management tools.
We have high expertise in the implementation of individual software and extensive databases and develop solutions since many years. Our know-how covers a wide range, in particular web portals, automated production workflows, administration of associations, databases and the migration and forwarding of data.
Individual solutions are e.g.:
- competition administration
- web atlas and geographic information systems
- archiving and documentation systems
- knowledge management tools
- administration software including functionalities for management, organization and communication activities
- school administration software (WSDB)
- administration of user, member and contribution
- online reservation
- planning of meetings and addresses
- complex web sites containing interfaces to divers tools (front-end and back-end)
OPEN SOURCE COMPONENTS
The implemented solutions are developed individually to fulfil the needs of our customers. The used components are open source. We mainly use the following components: Linux, Python, Java, PostgreSQL, Django, Apache Lucene and Solr, Libreoffice etc.. Import and export functionalitites are e.g. realized with current and free standards like CSV, REST or JSON. They allow the integration of additional and external systems. »
Examples of Use
We develop and implement comprehensive overall solutions that are fully harmonised with customer-specific processes and functionalities or that support and simplify daily workflows or that completely comply to the requirements of Industry 4.0.
Our development activities comprise software and hardware, interfaces and additional components. A smooth integration in production environments, processes and workjoiflows is enabled.
An extract of our references show that our projects are independent of a specific sector:
Contest administration for Jugend Forscht
Using the contest administration tool (called JUFO WV2.0), more than 110 contests of the joined initiative Stiftung Jugend forscht e.V. are organised and handled throughout Germany. Using the web application, kids and teenager submit projects in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). During the contest exhibitions, members of the panel have conversations with the participants at their exhibition booths. They review feedback is entered in online forms. The award ceremony takes place afterwards - including the printing of the certificates directly from the application. »
ONLINE MONITORING OF EXCAVATED MATERIAL
blp GeoServices GmbH makes declarations of the quality of excavated materials. For this purpose, trucking is recorded directly at the excavation site. The address of the transport is determined according to the characterisation of the excavated material. A software framework automates the processes. »
Funeral procession management
The organisation of a funeral procession can sometimes be very complex for the funeral home. Guardians and bearers have to be scheduled for appointments, whereby availabilities and the amount of available hours have to be considered. Therefore, we developed a funeral procession-, management- and billing-software to simplify the handling for the funeral home F. Dobretsberger & Co. KG in Linz. »
ELISABAT - ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SYSTEM ON AUSTRIAN BATS
ElisABat is a powerful and customised database that is individually developed for the requirements of the association 'coordination centre for protection and research of bats in Austria' (KFFÖ). It simplifies many fields of activities and is basis for scientific assessments as data consistency, comparableness of the data and systematic recording are improved. »
Impact2C Web-Atlas
In collaboration with blp GeoServices GmbH, a company located in Linz (Austria), we realised the technical development of the publicly available IMPACT2C web-atlas. We have visualised the impact of a +2°C global warming by realising a GIS and CMS platform only with open source components. »
Waldorf School DataBase
The Waldorf School Data Base WSDB is a central component of numerous privately managed (Waldorf) schools in Europe. The database is used to manage timetables, create certificates or send out newsletters. The principles of Waldorf schools are to create social justice in education and to position pedagogy towards the individual needs of children. This offers children undreamt-of opportunities for personal development. The individual arrangement of everyday school life, increasing security requirements and obligations for documentation, however, represent an ever greater challenge for administration and organisation in Waldorf schools. »
BOOK CINEMA SEATS ONLINE
The cinemas Moviemento and City-Kino contacted us to add online booking to the existing administration tool. As our team has high expertise in the implementation of complex processes, the cinema operators decided to collaborate with us – and got a higher level of security when using the whole software. »
ADMINISTRATIVE DATABASE For the Economy of the Common Good
The Economy for the Common Good uses a central database to organize the linking-up of its members, the administration of various target groups and the generation of statistics and personalized documents. We have developed the database as well as the whole application using open source components. The philosophy of open source fits to the goals of the Economy for the Common Good as it displays an impulse for a "new economic system". »
Archiving and documentation system
Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), an institution of Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, has announced the development and establishment of a system for archiving and documentation in autumn 2013. The system should be build up on open source components. Our extensive product concept convinced and in spring 2014, the web portal ArcDoc was ready for use. »
voucher production
It is obvious that there must not be any mix-up or error when diverse vouchers are assembled, packed up and distributed to different mailing addresses. To ensure an error-free workflow, we developed in cooperation with the printing house Esstermann a software that assists the production and records each step. »
Sprichcode
SPRICHCODE, a literature and photography competition for teenager from 14 - 19 years, takes place every two years. The platform, which we programmed, advanced to the biggest communication medium for young literature and photography in Austria. »
CUSTOMISED MANAGEMENT TOOL
Since the beginning of 2011, Nordfels uses the database HamDB to manage appointments, contacts, projects and orders. Though, HamDB is not a conventional management tool, as it is adapted to the specific requirements of the mechanical engineer. »
Industry 4.0
Digitalisation affects nearly all areas of life. More and more products and parts are equipped with software components. The software controls functionalities and allows remote control over the internet, e.g. using a mobile device. This implies that the software contains full know how of a product and that it has to be absolutely prodected against misuse through third parties or unauthorised access.
On the one hand, the product itself must be considered. Suitable methods are, for example, access authorizations or a unique encryption, which differs from product to product. If there is a cyber attack on a product, it must be ensured that only this one product is affected, but not all of a series.
On the other hand, the transfer of data and software from the data owner to the manufacturer must be appropriately secure. It must be taken into account that a contract manufacturer (e.g. based in the Far East) transfers the data to a data carrier and integrates it into the corresponding product, but never has access to this data.
Production companies oriented towards industry 4.0 require flexible solutions for secure and unmistakable data transfer and integration. With the help of trend-setting technology and intelligent software control, we realise complete solutions. These solutions meet the required flexibility, data security and process stability.
Individual software solutions in industry 4.0 environment
We develop and implement comprehensive total solutions that are fully tailored to customer-specific processes and functionalities and meet the requirements of industry 4.0.
The developments include software and hardware as well as necessary interfaces and additional components to enable smooth integration into production environments and process workflows.
Our focus is on just-in-time production and mass production of individual storage media. We develop and support special production lines for industrial companies worldwide. Our extensive network expertise provides the ideal basis for this.
In addition to the conception and implementation of special solutions, our team is also available to support the installations. This can take place completely remotely or on customer's request also locally.
Cyber Security
X-Net gives continuously talks about security. Here Nikolaus Dürk at the "UNIDO Conference on Ensuring Industrial Safety" in May 2019.
Future-proof!
Systems, products and solutions must be protected in a way that they can withstand technological development and remain more than adequately protected.
IT Security
To achieve high security standards, we are involved in research and development projects such as "IoT4CPs", "MAL2" and "OpenSecurity". We combine the knowledge and technologies from these projects with our expertise in network technology, software and hardware development. This enables us to implement targeted projects and new products with a focus on security.
« The number of cyber attacks has increased rapidly in recent years. We focus on the highest possible security level and implement state-of-the-art networks, projects and products. Thanks to open source technology and independence from a single vendor, we can respond flexibly to our customer's requirements and threat scenarios. »
IT security must not rest on the state of the art. It can also be fatal to rely on current security measures in the long term. These may currently offer almost 100% protection, but can be outdated and useless in a few years.
We therefore deal with topics such as post-quantum cryptography, which involve encryption technologies that can withstand the computing power of quantum computers. But also remote servicing of machines and end devices, product updates, data distribution etc. are security-relevant areas in which we have high expertise.
Security by Isolation (SBI)
Growing companies and production plants have one thing in common: their network infrastructure. Systems and devices are not uniformly and structurally coordinated, but on the contrary very heterogeneous.
The digitisation of individual areas, a higher degree of automation and the change of technologies rarely take place at the same time. They are the result of continuous growth over years and decades. A company therefore has, among other things, operating systems of different generations, new and old hardware in interplay and incompatible systems that no longer correspond to the state of the art and can no longer be brought up to it. Updates and upgrades are difficult to impossible. Nevertheless, today it is essential to connect machines, production lines, systems and tools with other systems or with the Internet.
Standardised firewalls and gateways are used to protect the company's own network. On the one hand, individual solutions that are no longer state of the art are inadequately considered as the entire network is used. On the other hand, closed source variants are installed because they are worldwide represented and have a large market share. It is not taken into account that these variants harbour the danger of security gaps, which are made public in the media at regular intervals. It also ignores the fact that companies based in the USA are subject to American law (see US Patriot Act), which regulates access to data.
Special Gateways and Isolation of Single Services
"Security by Isolation" describes the separation of single functionalities and services to reach the hights available security level. SBI is independent from an operating system and programm versions.