Echelon just announced the release of a new product: Networked Energy Services (NES) Element Manager, a new smart metering network management software. The software is designed to help utilities as they implement new smart grid programs by giving them enhanced abilities to manage the project’s installation, configuration, provisioning, management and monitoring.

The software provides a dashboard that provides at-a-glance access to information about network connectivity, data retrieval and the health of meters and power lines, as well as options for easy configuration of network settings.

In a press release, Bob Machlin, Echelon’s Senior Vice President of Products, commented on the new software:

“As utilities look to move beyond simple automated meter reading and first generation advanced metering infrastructure to the smart grid, the enhanced functionality of these smart systems raises the expectations about what a utility’s network can do, both today and in the future. This means that the utility’s operations team must be able to better visualize and manage their networks, have the ability to immediately and proactively identify and resolve network issues, attain the highest level of customer service, and reduce operation costs. Element Manager will help them meet those high expectations.”