This books explains the emerging technology of inventory optimization and multi-echelon (MEIO) supply planning. It takes a complex subject and effectively communicates what MEIO is about in plain English terms. This is the only book currently available that describes MEIO for practitioners, rather for mathematicians or academics. The book describes with text and graphics how inventory optimization allows the entire supply plan to be controlled with service levels, and how multi echelon technology answers the question of where to locate inventory in the supply network. This is the only book on inventory optimization and multi echelon planning which compares how different best of breed vendors apply MEIO technology to their products. It also explains why this technology is so important for supply planning and why companies should be actively investigating this method. The book moves smoothly between concepts to screen shots and descriptions of how the screens are configured and used. This provides the reader with some of the most intriguing areas of functionality within a variety of applications.