Two separate mandates for 2005, set by Wal-Mart and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)—both requiring suppliers to embrace RFID—have pushed the technology into the public eye. As a result, RFID is rapidly moving from a company science experiment to boardroom priority, with a focus on improv- ing enterprise-wide operations. Manufacturers and the suppliers to Wal-Mart and the DoD are diving into an increasingly busy RFID market already brim- ming with developing standards, large company entrants, start-up software developers, and numerous systems integrators. Despite some recognizable large company names, success is still to be determined, says Erik Michielsen, a senior analyst with technology research ABI, based in Oyster Bay, New York. Texas Instruments, Symbol Technologies, NCR, Philips, and Sun Micro- systems are only some of the big-name companies that have entered the world of RFID. Some recognizable names have entered the RFID fray as systems integrators, namely, IBM, Accenture, BearingPoint, Unisys, RedPrairie, and Manhattan Associates. Process questions abound, such as where to store the data, what data should be stored, how to secure and maintain data, and what is the optimal method to integrate data with existing business solutions. Some integrators, such as SAP, are developing enterprise-level RFID patches for cus- tomers. There are others, known as warehouse management systems compa- nies, which include Manhattan Associates, RedPrairie, and Provia. Long-time DoD integration partners such as Unisys, Lockheed Martin, and Accenture are stepping up government-based RFID efforts.