Skip to content
Global Data Specialists

Discover Our Insights

Technical playbooks, integration guidance, and operational strategies across Motorola SCADA, water utilities, irrigation control, and aircraft arresting systems.

Motorola SCADA

Motorola ACE3600 Integration Services

ACE3600 integration starts with an inventory of legacy RTUs, radio paths, and I/O that must remain stable during cutover. We focus on maintaining uptime while modernizing telemetry and control logic for critical operations.

Our integration approach validates signal integrity, aligns firmware with field hardware, and standardizes alarm and event workflows so operators see consistent behavior across every site.

Key Focus Areas

  • Inventory and I/O mapping for field assets
  • Radio and network alignment for consistent communications
  • Operator training and cutover playbooks
Motorola SCADA

MOSCAD RTU Repair and Replacement

MOSCAD RTU repair and replacement can support existing sites while you plan longer-term upgrades. We evaluate failure modes, bench-test boards, and validate I/O behavior before return to service.

When replacement is required, we align hardware with existing panel layouts, maintain radio configurations, and document every change for operators and maintenance teams.

Key Focus Areas

  • Board-level diagnostics and validation
  • Like-for-like replacement planning
  • Configuration documentation for long-term support
Water and Wastewater

Allen-Bradley PLC Programming for Water Systems

Water-system PLCs need predictable control logic to support safe operation and compliance requirements. We build standardized control logic so operators can move between sites without re-learning the system.

Our teams pair PLC logic with telemetry, HMI screens, and alarm management so water utility staff get clear, actionable information in real time.

Key Focus Areas

  • Standardized ladder logic and sequencing
  • Alarm management aligned with operator workflows
  • Integrated telemetry for remote operations
Water and Wastewater

SCADA Cybersecurity for Water Utilities

Federal law requires community water systems serving more than 3,300 people to assess their automated systems, and in 2024 EPA found that more than 70 percent of the systems it inspected fell short.

The 2023 Aliquippa attack used a controller that was reachable from the internet and still had its default password.

Key Focus Areas

  • No direct internet exposure for PLCs, RTUs or HMIs
  • Individual accounts and multi-factor authentication for remote access
  • Segmentation between the control network and business IT
Water and Wastewater

Pump Station Automation and Control

Pump station automation relies on consistent logic for lead-lag operation, flow monitoring, and fault handling. We build reliable sequences that reduce wear, improve runtime efficiency, and keep operators informed.

From VFD integration to remote alarm escalation, we design pump station controls around the utility's standards, with alarm routing to help staff assess faults before dispatching a site visit.

Key Focus Areas

  • Lead-lag and duty rotation control
  • VFD integration and power-fail recovery
  • Remote alarm notifications with clear priorities
HMI and Software

Wonderware Software Integration for SCADA

We configure Wonderware applications so operators can read system status and respond to alarms. We normalize tags, standardize graphics, and unify alarm design so teams can respond faster.

Whether you are consolidating multiple HMIs or expanding to new sites, we ensure Wonderware configurations stay consistent and easy to maintain.

Key Focus Areas

  • Tag normalization and naming standards
  • Graphic templates for consistent UX
  • Alarm rationalization and reporting
Aircraft Arresting

PAACS Encryption Upgrades: CPUs, Radios or ACE3600

The encryption work on an existing PAACS depends on what is already installed: new CPUs, new CPUs and radios, or a full conversion from MOSCAD.

Upgrading the tower takes the whole system out of service, so the order of work and the acceptance test need to be agreed with the base in advance.

Key Focus Areas

  • Security-enabled ACE3600 CPUs with Motorola encryption software
  • Spectrum-compliant Motorola APX radios where older radios remain
  • Harness, antenna and pit-sensor replacement at MOSCAD sites
Aircraft Arresting

PAACS Changes: New Barriers, Moves and Replacements

Most arresting-gear control work changes a system that already protects a runway: a new barrier, a temporary move or a replacement.

Because GDS builds PAACS, an installed system can usually be extended.

Key Focus Areas

  • Extending an existing PAACS to a new barrier
  • Temporary relocation of controls during construction
  • Replacement of failed or flood-damaged equipment
Irrigation

Motorola Irrinet ACE Support

Our Motorola Irrinet ACE work covers field radio coverage, valve control, and irrigation scheduling. We validate communications paths so every site reports consistently back to central SCADA.

We help adjust schedules and alarms to reduce water loss.

Key Focus Areas

  • Field radio coverage surveys and tuning
  • Irrigation scheduling optimization
  • Unified monitoring for system-wide visibility
SCADA Software

VTScada Integration Services

VTScada can give utility operators a common interface for monitoring multiple sites. We configure the system to consolidate separate HMIs and simplify application maintenance.

VTScada lists GDS as an Advanced Certified integrator. We configure tags, alarms, and historical records around the way your operators use the system.

Key Focus Areas

  • Unified architecture for multi-site visibility
  • Intuitive alarm management and escalation
  • High-performance historical data logging
SCADA Migration

Legacy SCADA Migration Planning

Planning a SCADA migration helps reduce the operational risk of replacing aging control hardware. We plan to reuse field wiring and enclosures where possible to reduce installation time and cost.

We plan phased cutovers around operational needs, with agreed outage windows, temporary monitoring where needed, and a rollback procedure. Testing compares the new logic with the approved control narrative before full switchover.

Key Focus Areas

  • Detailed I/O and wiring risk assessment
  • Phased cutover strategies to maintain uptime
  • Logic parity validation for reliable control
Communications

Radio Network Design for SCADA

Radio network design needs to account for the terrain between remote SCADA sites. We analyze path profiles and environmental factors to choose the antenna type, height and configuration for each link.

Our designs focus on checking fade margins and signal strength before deployment, then testing polling performance against agreed site requirements.

Key Focus Areas

  • Terrain-aware path profile analysis
  • Signal strength and fade margin validation
  • Interference mitigation strategies
Water SCADA

Arizona Water Utility SCADA

SCADA equipment for Arizona water utilities needs to suit desert operating conditions. We review component temperature ratings, enclosure heat load, ventilation and site exposure against the installation conditions. Commissioning and maintenance plans address those conditions.

Our systems are designed to provide trustworthy data logging and accurate flow monitoring, giving operators the visibility they need to manage resources efficiently.

Key Focus Areas

  • Environmentally hardened site design
  • Reliable data logging for flow calculation
  • Robust battery backup for power stability
Healthcare SCADA

Hospital Water Monitoring: SCADA & Automation

Hospital water management teams need records of operating conditions at the control points defined in their plan. SCADA can log hot water loop and return temperatures and alert staff when readings cross configured limits.

We design monitoring and reporting around the facility's water management plan. Sensor records support that work; they do not establish the absence of Legionella or replace program validation and laboratory testing.

Key Focus Areas

  • Continuous hot water return temperature monitoring
  • Flushing controls where the facility specifies them
  • Operating records and historical trends
SCADA & PLC

FAT and SAT for SCADA and PLC Projects

Factory and site acceptance testing should be planned as part of the engineering scope. The test plan checks control narratives, alarms, communications, and operator screens before the system changeover.

We structure acceptance testing around real operating scenarios: power-fail recovery, comms loss, permissives and interlocks, manual override workflows, and alarm escalation so operators and maintenance teams can trust the system on day one.

Key Focus Areas

  • Scenario-based test cases mapped to control narratives
  • Alarm and HMI verification aligned with operator workflows
  • Repeatable commissioning process for multi-site rollouts
SCADA & PLC

SCADA Cutover Checklist for Utilities

SCADA cutovers fail when ownership is unclear and the rollback plan is vague. A strong cutover checklist turns the project into a controlled sequence: prerequisites, freezes, backups, staged changes, verification steps, and go/no-go gates.

We build cutover plans that account for field realities: radio path constraints, site access windows, operator staffing, and instrumentation that may not be trustworthy until verified under load.

Key Focus Areas

  • Clear go/no-go gates with defined roles and escalation
  • Rollback steps that are actually executable in the field
  • Verification steps for alarms, trends, and control actions
SCADA & PLC

PLC Tag Naming and Standard Libraries

PLC projects become expensive to support when every site uses different tag naming, alarm priorities, and function block patterns. Common standards make the systems easier to maintain and expand.

We align PLC naming and reusable libraries to SCADA conventions so operators see consistent labels, alarm behavior, and trending across sites.

Key Focus Areas

  • Tag dictionary aligned across PLC, HMI, and historian
  • Reusable logic patterns for common equipment (pumps, valves, tanks)
  • Consistent alarm priorities and operator messaging
OT Architecture

OPC UA vs Modbus vs DNP3 for SCADA Integration

The choice between OPC UA, Modbus, and DNP3 affects data reliability, alarm behavior, and communications troubleshooting across remote sites.

We select protocols based on asset types, network constraints, and maintenance realities, then document standards so future expansions do not turn into one-off integrations.

Key Focus Areas

  • Protocol standards aligned to site types (plant vs remote telemetry)
  • Gateway strategy for mixed vendor environments
  • Documentation that makes troubleshooting faster
HMI and Software

SCADA Alarm Rationalization and Priorities

Alarm rationalization helps operators distinguish equipment problems from nuisance alarms. Too many alarms can hide the ones that need attention and lead operators to ignore the HMI.

We align alarms to equipment behavior and SOPs: clear messages, consistent priorities, and sensible deadbands so alarms are actionable and stable.

Key Focus Areas

  • Fewer nuisance alarms through deadbands and persistence
  • Clear operator messaging tied to SOP response
  • Consistent priority scheme across sites and equipment
HMI and Software

Ignition SCADA Architecture for Multi-Site Systems

Ignition SCADA works best when the architecture is planned before screens are built. Multi-site systems need consistent tag paths, gateway strategy, security boundaries, and a clear approach for historians and reporting.

We design Ignition deployments to be maintainable: standardized project structure, naming conventions, redundancy planning, and deployment workflows that reduce outage risk during updates.

Key Focus Areas

  • Gateway strategy and naming conventions that scale
  • Security boundaries aligned with OT segmentation
  • Redundancy and update workflows that reduce downtime
Motorola SCADA

RTU Panel Design for Remote Telemetry and Control

RTU panel design sets the long-term reliability of remote telemetry. Many recurring outages are preventable with better power budgets, grounding, surge protection, and clear wiring standards.

We design and retrofit RTU panels so field techs can troubleshoot quickly: labeled terminals, consistent I/O patterns, spares strategy, and documentation that matches what is installed.

Key Focus Areas

  • Power budget and battery backup sized to site realities
  • Grounding and surge protection for lightning-prone environments
  • Maintainable wiring standards with labels and as-builts
Water and Wastewater

SCADA Historian and Reporting for Water Operations

SCADA historian and reporting should answer operational questions: what changed, when did it change, and what was the impact. The records need to be reliable and available for operational review and audits.

We design historians and reports around consistent tags, time sync, and data quality rules so trending and compliance reporting match real equipment behavior.

Key Focus Areas

  • Tag standards that make trending and reporting reliable
  • Time sync and data quality rules for audit readiness
  • Operational reports aligned to daily and monthly workflows