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IEM has nearly a decade of experience in developing enterprise software for our clients using Open Source tools. And we are proud to acknowledge our contributions to the expansion and advancement of Open Source technologies. IEM developers have participated in several community development projects, including:

• MapBuilder
• Development of an API library for unit conversion in JScience
• New functionality in JFreeChart
  

Representative examples of IEM's Open Source software solutions include:

WebPuff

WebPuff, IEM's premier chemical agent dispersion modeling and hazard analysis product, is built on a suite of Open Source technologies.

The Java-language based application uses the Eclipse platform and is tested on Linux servers.  It employs the Apache web server and the Jakarta Tomcat web application server.  Data storage is handled using the PostgreSQL database, using the PostGIS extensions to manipulate geographic data.  Geographic data is rendered serverside using the GeoTools library.

WebPuff employs a rich AJAX-based client, using Java Direct Web Remoting and the Community MapBuilder library. IEM has developed WebPuff incorporating many other Open Source tools.

Operations Matrix Tool™ (OMT)

IEM designed and developed the OMT for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help emergency managers prepare for, respond to, and recover from all-hazard events at multiple organizational levels within the agency.  The Web-based application enhances decision making and task performance and can be used for a wide range of disasters and response efforts. The OMT is deployed on FEMA’s Intranet, providing access to all FEMA employees.

OMT uses Java 1.4.  It relies upon Oracle Database 9i for persistence, and Oracle Application Server (10g) for the J2EE framework. Several other Open Source technologies are also used for this application.

Alabama Decision Support System (DSS)

Alabama’s DSS contains IEM's SafePort™ protective action recommendation algorithm.  SafePort uses data from the WebPuff core dispersion model and a self-contained traffic model to determine the efficacy of evacuation versus shelter-in-place.  With this knowledge, decision makers can make better-informed decisions about how best to protect the public in the event of a chemical release.

AL-DSS uses Java 1.5.  It relies upon PostgreSQL 8 for persistence, and Apache Tomcat 5.5 for the Servlet engine.  Along with these Open Source technologies, there are several others as components.