SCADA

Sensory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems is a computer system for gathering and analyzing real time data. SCADA systems were first used in the 1960s for electrical distribution systems[2]. SCADA systems include hardware and software components. The hardware gathers and feeds data into a computer system that has SCADA software installed. The computer then processes this data and presents it in a timely manner. SCADA warns when conditions become hazardous by sounding alarms, warning the maintainers and doing the necessary auto reconfiguration. Any SCADA system must have a number of basic elements[3]. These elements are:

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Communication links - being a network daemon the SCADA-TEMS server is able to allow a large number of connectivity means. However, the basic interface to the system would be an IP network.

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Control functions - these functions are implemented by loadable modules. Each loadable module will contain methods for accessing and configuring a corresponding hardware device.

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Data acquisition functions - similar to the Control functions.

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Historical archiving functions - since the SCADA-TEMS is running as a Unix daemon debugging and logging information is written to the Unix syslog server.

SCADA systems are used to monitor and control a plant or equipment in industries such as telecommunications, water and waste control, energy, oil and gas refining and transportation. The project aims to build a miniature model SCADA system.