RuggedCom, a leading designer and manufacturer of rugged communications networking solutions for mission critical applications in harsh environments, today announced it has agreed to purchase the substation automation business of Bow Networks Inc.

Bow Networks develops substation automation and security software solutions that are used to securely retrieve, present and analyze information from intelligent electronic devices, allowing utilities to make decisions that facilitate the restoration of power and increase utilization of critical assets and infrastructure. When integrated with RuggedCom's portfolio of utility-grade communications platforms, the combined offering provides a comprehensive information backbone for use in smart grid applications.

Bow Networks has developed software-based solutions for the substation and distribution automation sectors for almost 25 years. Bow's eLANTM offering for substation integration was one of the first to address the need for managing non-operational data, while its CrossBowTM security software was a front runner in the delivery of NERC compliance solutions for remote access. The Bow team is comprised of several industry veterans and experienced developers and engineers.

The Bow Networks product offering consists of a range of substation automation and security software that will be delivered on substation hardened computing and communications platforms as well as enterprise servers. Solutions extend from basic protocol conversion between various IED vendors to secure corporate-wide IED access and data management applications targeting critical asset management and maintenance.

For more information, visit www.RuggedCom.com.