Functionality:     V3.6 Version 3.6 of NCompass collects data from multiple hardware sources (Assets), makes decisions about the events that have been detected by that hardware, and updates a centralized database with that information.     The hardware is connected to the application through either IP/PORT Channels, Serial Port Channels, limited to 30 IP Reader / Serial Reader simultaneous connections. An enrollment attribute process, after initial detection, allows users to specify special handling of readers and reader data; these include: Gate Readers, Directional Paired Readers, Muster Readers, Internal and External Zoned Readers, Instance Read Readers and Parent/Child Readers.     A note about Assets: The NControl Enterprise Asset Tracking system views the world as simply a collection of assets that fall into two categories: Fixed Assets (those that have been bolted down and typically are the data readers) and Floating Assets (those things in the world that move around and can be detected by readers; like personnel tags, RFID Tags, Biometrics, barcodes, magnetic stripes, etc.) When two (or more) Assets come into contact with each other, an Event occurs. The database at the heart of NEAT stores those Events, the Assets associated with those Events and specific Asset and Event information that correlates to the Assets and Events recorded. This unique approach allows us to tie different systems together into one unified database of activity at a particular facility or across a whole organization.     Reader attributes assist NCompass in making detailed decisions about the types of events to pass onto the database. Typically these events fall into the category of “Asset Detected” or “Assets Interaction,” but because of the reader attributes we can also log directional events and security events.     Once the event data is written to the database, the other applications that are a part of the NEAT application suite take over and perform additional processes on that data.   V4.0 Version 4.0 of NCompass separates the data collection functionality and database update functionality of Version 3.6 into two distinct tasks performed by two distinct applications. In the Windows version, data collection is performed by a Windows Service that then passes the data collection onto a secondary service (in the form of an XML) for the decision-making processes and database update. In the Linux version, data collection is performed by a Linux Daemon running on its own miniature board before being passed to the secondary Windows service for decision-making processes and database update. The option exists in both the Windows and Linux version to pass the XML data to a Web Object for Internet based database updates or 3rd party systems. Version 4.0, also, makes serious improvements in the hardware type library functionality, making it possible to extract usable data from any hardware available yesterday, today or tomorrow (provided that it is IP accessible).