At Timberline Engineering, we design specialized systems that provide a wealth of information for our clients. Our clients require systems that are reliable and will last for many years without becoming obsolete. Our clients also want systems that interoperate with their other networks and information systems. To meet these needs, we must have a broad and deep understanding of computer and information systems technologies.

Timberline Web-Enabled Project Database

One way we gain that understanding is to design, develop and operate our own computing systems. We have installed a heterogeneous network of Windows NT and Linux systems in our offices. Our network includes a Windows NT file server operating on a dual processor machine with a large RAID disk and SCSI tape backup system. For dial-up access to our network, we have connected a bank of modems directly to the Ethernet network using an asynchronous port server. We have also set up a pair of PCs under Linux working as our name server, web server, network time server, mail server, and database server. Our highspeed DSL Internet connection provides our staff fast web access and has allowed us to experiment with firewall and router technology. By designing and operating such a network, we have developed an understanding of how systems can be made to communicate with one another and how powerful, reliable systems are developed.

Wireless Connectivity to Timberline Web Site

Much of the information interchange between SCADA systems and other enterprise-wide information systems happen through interconnection of SQL databases. To develop depth in SQL database technology, we have developed a web-enabled SQL database to aid in our design of SCADA systems. With appropriate authorization, that database can be accessed from our web site. The database runs on a mySQL server, and access to the database is enabled by 6,000 lines of perl code running as cgi scripts on our Apache web server. The database design and perl programs were developed in-house over a six-month period. This development exercise provided a rich understanding of SQL databases and web programming (the essentials of e-commerce). In addition, we have developed a tool that will allow us to design SCADA systems in greater detail with greater accuracy than in the past and will allow a level of collaboration on design details with our clients that was not available before.

Our SCADA designs rely on commercially available Programmable Logic Controller hardware and off-the-shelf SCADA system software. We own a selection of the most common SCADA hardware and software which we use in-house to test control scenarios, to expand our understanding of applications programming, and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the major SCADA system packages currently on the market.

Output from Timberline's Custom Radiation Exposure Analysis Program

For radio path analyses, we use both commercial products and a suite of microwave engineering programs developed in-house to generate propagation path profiles, coverage maps and calculations of path availability, intermodulation, and obstruction fading. We own 3-arcsecond USGS terrain data for the entire United States as well as 30-meter data for selected regions.  For radio exposure analysis, we have developed our own in-house program.

Our experience with these systems and tools provide us a powerful perspective that we apply to systems design. This perspective makes Timberline the place where innovation and practical solutions come together.

Contact us to discuss how technology can enhance and simplify operation of your system.