ADP CONTINGENCY BACKUP FOR CIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP74-00390R000300440003-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 2, 2001
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: December 8, 1970
• Content Type: MF

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0 DEC 1970
MEMORANDUM FORT Chairman, Information Procoeeing Board
! ADP CeatingenEy MEW f6F C
A. Introduction
1. This memorandum deals with describing current procedures
and recommending policy for providing backup support for CIA's computer
centers in the event of a major equipment outage or the destruction of
files/programs in one or more of those centers. The concern here is
not how to re-establish a center such as restoring its electric power,
but how to continue critical operations even though some damage has
occurred to one or more components of the center. A major outage is
defined as one that exists for more than several days and could last for
up to 4 to 6 weeks. A major outage would most likely result from fire,
severe water damage, or even possibly bomb damage. This paper is not
concerned with providing backup in the event of a catastrophe such as
nuclear attack, the assumption being that in that event ADP backup
would not be a major concern.
2. The four major processing centers are of primary concern
herein, i.e., OCS, CRS, RID, and NPIC. These centers have general
purpose computing equipment and they perform a variety of different
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kinds of applications for a broad spectrum of users.. Aside from NPIC,
these centers have compatible equipments. The single-or limited-
purpose CIA computer operations, e* g. , analog processing in OEL
and message processing in OC, have unique equipments and software
and are faced with somewhat different backup problems; but the general
policies contained in this paper should also be applicable to those centers.
3. As indicated above, two aspects of backup support are
examined herein: (1) hardware and (2) programs and files stored in
machine language form. Hardware loss is not considered nearly as
critical as software loss, i.e., computer manufacturers would provide
all possible assistance to overcome hardware loss. Loss of software
could lead, to critical problems if a computer center does not have
adequate backup recovery. If all files and programs including duplicates
are stored in a single tape library and that tape library is destroyed, the
only recourse is to re-establish files by rekeying out-of-date printouts
and rewriting programs or hopefully locating some programs in punch
card form in programmers' work areas. Some of the loss would never
be recovered.
B. Current Procedures
The Agency has no current uniform policy regarding ADP
backup. However, each of the computer centers has considered the
problem and most have done some planning to assure limited operational
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capability in event of an outage.
1. CRS
a. Hardware--CRS has a working arrangement
with OCS wherein OCS will provide machine support
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AEGIS file, the primary CRS machine file of user
interest. AEGIS programs and files have been
processed on OCS equipment, and CRS has used OCS
backup on at least one occasion.
b. Programs and Files--A duplicate copy of all
CRS programs is maintained in punch card. form in a
first floor storage area of the Headquarters building
remote from the computer center. CRS also periodically
duplicates its and CRS customer file tapes and. stores them
in a ground floor tape library remote from the main tape
library. CRS has plans to store copies of its inherited
files (i. e. , bibliographic files which have no current
inputs but which are still of value for retrieval purposes)
at the Records Center. It is also looking into the feasibility
of storing duplicate copies of its AEGIS data base at Records
Center. In sum, CRS maintains all its programs and files
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in the computer center and duplicates of all programs
and files are stored in an area remote from the computer
center. Selected files are also candidates for storage at
Records Center.
2. RID
a. Hardware--No formal arrangements have been
instituted for hardware backup support, but in event of
an emergency, RID would expect assistance from OCS
or CRS. RID is converting its IBM 1410 programs and
files to IBM 360/50. Until this conversion is completed,
RID feels that it would have considerable difficulty in
finding backup support for its two 1410's.
b. Programs and Files--RID maintains duplicate
copies of all its programs and files in a ground floor
storage area remote from the computer center tape
library. All of those files are updated on a periodic
schedule. In addition, RID currently has complete
manual backup for its name trace function and limited
manual backup for its on-line Document Control System.
3. OCS
a. Hardware--OCS has several alternatives for
hardware backup:
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(1) Discussions have been held with RID
to use its 360/50 in the event of OCS machine
failure. OCS looks to RID internally because
RID's 360/50 has considerably more storage
capacity than CRS's. OCS is studying what will
run on the RID computer.
(2) For 360/65 backup, OCS has developed.
working relationships with two DoD computer
centers in the Washington, D. C. area.
(3)
OCS has operated programs
on this machine utilizing communications
links. The has very limited tape storage
facilities, so it would not be practical for OCS to
remote any significant portion of its. files or
programs there.- However, OCS feels that much
of its scientific work could be performed at
(4) OCS has limited backup options for its
RCA SPECTRA equipment. The only known near-by
center with a configuration similar to ORS's. is the
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However, OCS is converting its RCA programs to
run on 360 equipment so this. problem will be less
severe in the future. The payroll, for example,
has already been converted.
b. Programs and Files--OCS operates more like a
service center than the other Agency computer centers.
As a result, it is up to OCS customers in other Offices/
Directorates to specify backup requirements for files.
OCS has alerted its users to this situation, but few
customers have chosen to remotely store files. OCS
does not have any remote storage capability in the
Headquarters building, i. e. , all of its programs and
files are stored in the tape library. OCS has no active
program to store duplicate tapes remotely, e.g., Records
Center. Approximately a year-ago, OCS requested a tape
storage area remote from the computer center, but the
request was denied. Thus, if the OCS tape library were
destroyed, the office would be crippled.
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4. NPIC
a. Hardware--When NPIC operated. UNIVAC 490
equipment it had backup arrangements with NSA. Similar
arrangements were not carried over when NPIC switched
to the UNIVAC 494. The NPIC and NSA 494 configurations
are so different it is questionable whether NPIC could
utilize NSA for backup support. Aside from the fact that
NPIC has dual 494's, no other backup arrangements exist.
b.. Programs and Files--NPIC has no current plan
to remotely store files or programs. There is some
backup insurance in the physical arrangement of the
NPIC system, i.e., the files are stored in drums on
the first floor as well as in the tape library on the second
floor and the programs are stored in drums on the second
floor in a room separated from the tape library by a fire
wall. Copies of many programs are also maintained by
the programming staff on the fifth floor. (This latter
situation is probably also true to some degree in the other
centers.)
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C. Recommended Backup Policy
1. Loss of ADP capability, particularly software,
would be very. serious--yet it is considered an unlikely possibility.
The fact that it would be a serious loss accounts for the periodic
attention given the subject of backup. The fact that it is a remote
possibility accounts for the fact that most centers have not
implemented more systematic backup programs. ADP backup
can be very expensive in terms of equipment and personnel costs
if it involves establishing remote computer centers for contingency
purposes or duplicating all files following each file update. This
paper agrees with earlier assessments that the unlikelihood of
serious loss would not justify such measures.
2. The following recommended policies would appear to
give us adequate backup insurance without additional significant cost.
a. Each of the computer centers should
review its hardware backup plans. If existing
arrangements are nonexistent or poorly defined,
they should be established and formalized. to the
extent of determining how much support can be
anticipated from another center. In addition,
programs should be tested on the backup center's
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hardware to onsuro that they will run. In NI'IC's
case, it may be concluded after further study that
no reasonable backup arrangements can.be instituted.
b. Each computer center should maintain an
alternate site fnr the storage of backup copies of
programs and files. This alternate site should be
remote from the tape library but within the same
building, in the case of NPIC and
within the Headquarters building for the other centers.
Within Headquarters building it should be determined
whether a center can use another center's, tape.
library for alternate storage, i.e., can OCS store
tapes in CRS or RID. This -procedure would. not
require the construction of alternate storage sites.
c. Duplicate copies of all active computer
programs should be maintained. in an alternate
storage site. Satisfactory alternate storage could
consist of the storage of program punch card decks
in programmer work areas.
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d. It is the file builder's (customer's
responsibility to assess the value of a file, i. e.,
it is up to the DD/S to determine the effect of the
loss of the payroll file and to inform the ADP
Center as to a file's criticality. It is the computer
center's responsibility to advise customers as to the
problems of recovery from loss (e.g., availability
of recent file printouts, etc.) and, to advise whether
backup file storage seems appropriate. All files do
not.require,backup--some are transitory in nature,
are not critical, or could be easily reconstructed.
If a file is critical, two factors will generally
dictate whether it should be -backed. up, i. e. ,
(a) is the content recoverable from another source?
and (b) if so, how long and how much effort would be
required to reconstitute the file? It is recommended
that OCS develop guidelines for file backup and using
these guidelines, each of the computer centers under-
take a file backup review in consultation with
customers in order to implement a systematic
file backup program for each center.
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e. Each center should annually review its
contingency backup program and. report the
results of this review to the Chairman, Information
11. 1 /lllll
Processing Board.
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