Echelon Corporation is leading the worldwide transformation of the electricity grid into a smart, communicating energy network, connecting utilities to their customers, enabling networking of everyday devices, and providing customers with energy-aware homes and businesses that react to conditions on the grid. Echelon's NES System — the control networking infrastructure for the smart grid — enables intelligent distributed control applications and devices that deliver maximum reliability, survivability, and responsiveness. Through the ECoS platform, the NES System enables any device, speaking any protocol, connected over any network to be integrated into local decision-making and connected securely to enterprise IT systems through virtually any IP network. The NES System helps utilities compete more effectively, reduce operating costs, and provide expanded services, and it helps energy users manage and reduce overall energy use.