Industrial memory product launched in Scandinavia

After more than 25 years as Datakey Electronics’ exclusive UK and Ireland distributor of portable non-volatile memory, Nexus is launching its product range in the Scandinavian markets and will be active from September 2012. The strategic decision to enter Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland is a result of the company’s success in the British design engineering sector.

The RUGGEDrive - now available in Scandinavia

In industrial, military, medical, telecommunications and secure commercial applications, memory has to continue working even after it has been sterilised, dropped in mud, exposed to chemicals, washed or even run over by a truck. The best option for OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) is to embed professional memory solutions such as the ones distributed by Nexus .

Unlike consumer style memory solutions, the memory products manufactured by Datakey Electronics are well established and will not become obsolete as technology progresses. They are commonly used by design engineers working on long term projects, with millions of units currently in service in Europe and tens of millions globally.


Nexus’ range of specialist memory keys and tokens are used in applications ranging from data logging, cashless vending, security, access control and use-limiting in industries including medical, food and pharmaceuticals.

One of the flagship products in the range is the high capacity RUGGEDrive™ token and receptacle set, which allows system designers to incorporate large memory devices into their projects. RUGGEDrive memory products are easily integrated into embedded controllers, single board computers and industrial PC designs, without the shortcomings that consumer-focused solutions bring.

“Our decision to launch into Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland was prompted by a wave of inquiries coming from those regions, explained Victoria James, Marketing and PR director at Nexus.

“Recently we have witnessed an increased demand for robust, reliable and reprogrammable memory products for engineering projects coming from Scandinavian countries. Launching in this area will allow us to offer a more efficient service to our customers,” she concluded. 

USB alternative set to help bungling data owners

~ New technology acts as deterrent for data theft and loss ~

Since portable memory became so common there have been several heavily publicised incidents in which Government departments or private businesses lost confidential information stored on CDs and USB sticks. Now, a new product from Sussex based technology specialist Nexus GB could put an end to the problem. The innovative new data carrier system means no one other than the intended user can read the content.  

Earlier this year a memory stick holding the passwords for a Government computer system was lost by a member of staff and found in the car park of a pub in Staffordshire. In May 2009 the personal medical records of tens of thousands of people were lost by the NHS in a series of serious data security leaks.

These kinds of problems can now be avoided by using Nexus’ new portable memory system; the RUGGEDrive™. The unique physical connection between the memory receptacle and portable memory token ensures that the information stored cannot be readily transferred to unauthorised PCs because they would lack RUGGEDrive™ receptacles.

The receptacles can be added to computers when they are being manufactured or they can be retrofitted at a later date. Nexus GB believes that this system could be the answer in multiple business sectors where data loss is a risk. Furthermore, because the system is only available as a B2B sale directly from Nexus GB, it isn’t possible to obtain compatible tokens or receptacles without the permission of the original customer.

“RUGGEDrive™ is a real step forward in data security,” explained Victoria Barrett, Nexus GB’s marketing and PR director. “Any data lost in a pub or left on a bus would be impossible to access and totally protected! This is even more important in today’s social media and citizen journalism landscape, in which lost data will definitely make its way into the media or onto the black market.”

Furthermore, RUGGEDrive™ receptacles help protect the user from viruses and other malicious files such as malware and Trojans. For instance, if a member of staff takes a document home using a USB or CD, the file can become infected on their private PC. When they return to work and plug the USB back into their work laptop, the virus is transferred into the company’s network. This situation is impossible to replicate with RUGGEDrive™.

A further benefit of these rugged, portable memory devices is their reliability; the receptacles are rated for 50,000 usage cycles. This is a distinct advantage over most consumer-grade USB and SD connectors which are only rated for 1,500 and 10,000 cycles respectively.

Telecoms high flyer set to communicate industrial memory message

~ Victoria Barrett joins Nexus GB ~

Former Vodafone and Samsung marketing expert, Victoria Barrett has joined Nexus GB, the UK partner of memory specialist Datakey Electronics, as director of technical PR and marketing. Barrett’s role will focus on communicating to design engineers the benefits of using the company’s specialist industrial memory. Nexus’ memory solutions are more rugged, scalable and long lasting than commercially available alternatives, such as memory cards and USB sticks. Crucially, they are also available for the lifespan of an OEM’s product, unlike consumer alternatives which are normally withdrawn as obsolete relatively quickly.

Barrett graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a degree in business with languages before working for CCTV technology company Telespec Ltd. She then spent time at Zeneca Agro Chemicals’ Latin American marketing division before moving on to Vodafone, Samsung, HPI Ltd and finally Ordinance Survey in a variety of channel marketing roles.

At Samsung Mobile UK, Barrett was a key member of a team that developed and rolled out a highly successful accreditation programme for dealers. “This was a career highlight,” explained Barrett. “The project was all about providing safety as well as value for our end users, the consumer, as well as our immediate customer; the dealer. In a sense it’s similar to my project here, which is focused on provided OEMs with a memory product that can be built in, relied upon and replaced indefinitely if required. The crux in both cases is ensuring that the product or service provides an advantage for the overall system. At Nexus our products stand in contrast to consumer focussed memory, which is often the Achilles heel when designed into an industrial product.”

When not in a working environment, Barrett enjoys using her foreign languages, French and Spanish, socially. She is also secretary of the twinning committee, and a key member of the amateur dramatics committee, in her home village.

Ends: 325 words

Editor’s note: This press release is available from Nexus's Virtual Press Office: http://www.nexus-pr.blogspot.com. If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from Nexus GB, paste the following link into your RSS reader http://nexus-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml. If you don’t have an RSS reader, I can recommend the following free package Sharp Reader.

For further information contact:
Victoria Barrett, Operations director, Nexus GB,
Rushdene House, Dodsley Grove, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9BE
Telephone: +44 (0)1730 816502
Fax: +44 (0)1730 817393
www: www.nexusgb.co.uk
e-mail: michael@nexusgb.co.uk

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, No2 The Garthlands, Stafford, ST17 9ZP
Telephone: +44 (0) 1785 225416
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk
Blog: www.stone-junction.blogspot.com

About Nexus GB: Established in 1986 Nexus GB is Datakey Electronics’ UK and Ireland exclusive distributor for portable, rugged keys and tokens containing non-volatile memory. These reliable and re-programmable items provide data transport, security, and access control solutions even in extreme environments where other methods, such as USB memory, would not survive. Furthermore, distinct from consumer-like memory solutions, they are a well established product that will not become obsolete as technology progresses. As a result, they are commonly used by design engineers working on long term projects, with more than three million units currently in UK service.

Ref: NEX048/03/10

Development kits set to make design work easier

~ Nexus GB releases new PC based development tools to help design engineers stuck at the drawing board ~

Nexus (GB), the UK partner of portable data token manufacturer Datakey Electronics, has released a family of serial development kits that provide all the necessary tools to build a simulated portable data system and test its features and benefits. The basic development kit covers the majority of Nexus’ range, whilst a specialist kit covers its NFX managed memory tokens, which act as USB style portable data carrier devices without the drawbacks of a consumer style memory product.

The kit allows Visual C++ or Visual Basic programmers to easily learn to integrate memory keys or tokens, greatly reducing research and development time and costs.

The NFX version of the development kit supports the latest release of the NFX family of tokens and includes a sample application, which illustrates how to use each of the example commands. Also new is a command line utility that allows for simplified testing and configuration of the NFX token’s unique OEM and security features.

Both kits operate with any Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000 or XP PC and guide the user through a simple programming process for a variety of basic commands. Each development kit includes a panel mount and a board mount or receptacle, a key or token memory device, an RS-232 or USB connecting cable, PC demo software, sample source code, and a programmer’s reference manual. The NFX version of the development kit contains two tokens and two receptacles.

"The NFX Managed-Memory line of portable memory tokens was designed with OEMs in mind," says Michael Barrett, Nexus’ operations director. "Long-term availability, stable command set, USB or SPI interfaces, ultra-rugged and reliable operation, special OEM and security features, custom logo options —these are all qualities that OEMs require in a portable data carrier."

Both development kits provide documentation on how to develop applications for embedded and PC platforms. Because the NFX has both SPI and USB options, it can interface with an embedded microprocessor through its SPI bus and/or with a PC or embedded computer through its USB bus. This provides an effective form of data transport in applications or environments where networking is impractical or impossible.

Ends: 379 words

Editor’s note: If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from Nexus GB, paste the following link into your RSS reader http://nexus-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml.

For further information contact:
Michael Barrett, Operations director, Nexus GB,
Rushdene House, Dodsley Grove, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9BE
Telephone: +44 (0)1730 816502
Fax: +44 (0)1730 817393
www: http://www.nexusgb.co.uk/
e-mail: michael@nexusgb.co.uk

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 33 Kirkdale,
Sydenham, London, SE26 4BT
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk
www: http://www.stonejunction.co.uk/

Blog: http://www.stone-junction.blogspot.com/

About Nexus GB: Established in 1986 Nexus GB is Datakey Electronics’ UK and Ireland exclusive distributor for portable, rugged keys and tokens containing non-volatile memory. These reliable and re-programmable items provide data transport, security, and access control solutions even in extreme environments where other methods, such as USB memory, would not survive. Furthermore, distinct from consumer-like memory solutions, they are a well established product that will not become obsolete as technology progresses. As a result, they are commonly used by design engineers working on long term projects, with more than three million units currently in UK service.

Ref: NEX034/06/09

OEMs set to save space with externally mounted rugged portable memory

Rugged memory tokens and keys

~ No need to give up panel space or interior volume with Bar series memory keys and tokens ~
Nexus GB has released the Datakey Electronics Bar Series of rugged, portable memory products, consisting of memory tokens and mating receptacles. The Bar series receptacle features an on surface mounting system, which allows Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to add a portable data carrier to their product without giving up large amounts of panel space or interior volume. The series also features an IP-67 immersion rating and is designed to meet the requirements of the most demanding military and industrial applications.

The unique on-surface mounting style minimises the amount of interior space required, as only the receptacle's pins extend inside the OEM device. Also, the Bar Receptacle has a small footprint of only 5.3 cm2. The receptacle is secured using two screws and an adhesive gasket, which also contributes to the Bar's IP-67 rating and provides a tamper-evident installation.

While originally designed to meet the requirements of tactical military applications like Crypto Ignition Keys (CIKs), the Bar can also be used in other harsh environment applications, such as: machine access control, calibration & parameter uploads, feature enable/disable, and data transfer.

Designed for use in the most challenging environments, the Bar series meets United States Department of Defence MIL-STD-810F specifications, including: shock, vibration, immersion, salt-fog, blowing dust, blowing sand, freezing rain and more. This is extremely useful for OEMs selling into the military as well as into commercial applications that have chosen to implement this influential standard.

The Bar has an operating temperature range of -40°C to +85°C (-40°C to +100°C storage) and has ESD (Electro Static Discharge) protection to greater than 15kV. Also, both the Bar token and receptacle are designed to minimise electromagnetic emissions, which is important in many military applications.

The Bar provides an intuitive slide-in/slide-out operation and features an open design for easy in-field cleaning, an important feature for tactical devices. The Bar token and receptacle have physical features to ensure that the token can only be inserted in the proper orientation, allowing for “by-feel” operation in the dark. The receptacle features a retention pin that provides tactile feedback when the token is fully inserted, and also helps keep the Token firmly in place during operation - standing up to the most demanding shock and vibration requirements.

Both the Bar memory token and the Bar receptacle use solid over moulded construction, making them extremely rugged and durable. The token uses industry standard serial EEPROM with SPI, I2C and Microwire serial interface options and memory sizes ranging from 1Kbit to 256Kbit. Additionally, the Bar token features a writeable label and is small enough to be carried in a pocket or placed on a keychain or lanyard.

Unlike consumer memory solutions, such as SD cards and USB flash drives, the Bar series memory tokens have a high mating cycle-life (25,000-cycles for the receptacle and 15,000 cycles for the token), are sold only to OEMs, and have long-term product availability. Free token and receptacle samples are available to UK customers from Nexus GB.

Ends: 521 words

Editor’s note: This press release is available from Nexus's Virtual Press Office: www.nexus-pr.blogspot.com. If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from Nexus GB, paste the following link into your RSS reader http://nexus-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml.

For further information contact:
Victoria Barrett, Marketing and PR director, Nexus GB,
Rushdene House, Dodsley Grove, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9BE
Telephone: +44 (0)1730 816502
Fax: +44 (0)1730 817393
www: www.nexusgb.co.uk 
e-mail: victoria@nexusgb.co.uk 

Press enquiries: Oana Baetica or Richard Stone
Stone Junction Ltd, Business Innovation Centre
Staffordshire Technology Park, Beaconside
Stafford, Staffordshire, ST18 0AR
Telephone: +44 (0) 1785 225416
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk; oana@stonejunction.co.uk 
www: www.stonejunction.co.uk 
Blog: www.stone-junction.blogspot.com

About Nexus GB: Established in 1986 Nexus GB is Datakey Electronics’ UK and Ireland exclusive distributor for portable, rugged keys and tokens containing non-volatile memory. These reliable and re-programmable items provide data transport, security, and access control solutions even in extreme environments where other methods, such as USB memory, would not survive. Furthermore, distinct from consumer-like memory solutions, they are a well established product that will not become obsolete as technology progresses. As a result, they are commonly used by design engineers working on long term projects, with more than three million units currently in UK service.

Editor’s note: This press release is available from Nexus's Virtual Press Office: www.nexus-pr.blogspot.com. If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from Nexus GB, paste the following link into your RSS reader http://nexus-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml.

Ref: NEX037/01/10