Exam Essentials

Know how to install and configure an RFID reader. Make sure the reader has either antennas or a load terminator attached to each port to keep the reader from being overloaded and causing an internal short. After the antennas are attached, attach the power supply and turn on the reader. After the reader is on and the green light is steady, you can attach a crossover cable and start communicating with the reader.

Explain the function of a UPS. A well-planned RFID portal will have an uninterruptible power supply, or UPS, built into the system between the reader and the external power source. The reader is susceptible to power spikes caused by such things as lightning strikes or generator variations. The UPS also helps keep data that may be in the random access memory and not yet pushed up to the application from being lost and can make sure your configuration is not wiped out.

Describe electrostatic potential. Electrostatic potential is the ability of a stored charge to essentially zap an electric charge from one point to another based on electrostatic discharge (ESD). The reader designers usually account for this by grounding inside the reader, so it is not a significant concern when deploying readers in a typical warehouse situation. There are times, however, in a manufacturing environment, or when custom building a reader system outside a case, that you should keep in mind the potential for ESD.

Explain the value of the site assessment document. The site assessment document tells you what systems go where, where electrical outlets and circuits are needed, where the local area network cable needs to be, and other predeployment essentials. It will also help you create an association between a reader and a specific geographical location. This will allow you to create an IP address for all the components of the IZ.

Tell why it is important to create a bill of materials (BOM). The BOM ensures that when you arrive on-site, you will not be missing equipment required to effectively put together the interrogation zone. It also helps you order the correct amount of equipment for each portal from the various manufacturers.

Know the value of putting an IP address on a reader. An Internet Protocol, or IP, address is required to allow a reader to talk to the greater local area network (LAN). In order for any data to get beyond the reader to where it is actionable by an ERP system, it has to be routed up through the network and needs to know where it came from based on its IP address. The IP address has a secondary function of allowing you to associate other components to the reader, so that in preconfiguration and certification all the correct parts can be associated with the reader. When you go to ship all the devices and the reader, you can make sure that all the right parts go to the right places.