IDHSC-II BRIEFING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83M00171R000600060021-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 16, 2003
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: January 16, 1980
• Content Type: MFR

16 January 1980
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MEMORANDUM FUR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: IDHSC-II Briefing
1. General
On 8 January 1980, briefed DASITT on IDHSC-II at
25X1 the CHB. is rom DIA, System Engineering Executive
Directorate, Networking Division (RSE-2). Attendees were:
25X1
25X1
25X1
2. System Definition
a. History
IDHSC-II is the Intelligence Data Handling System
Communications, Version two. It is what was once called the Worldwide
Intelligence Communication System (WICS). It is the logical outgrowth
of IUHSC; the first version was a star network with a store and forward
switch in the middle, at DIA, and a bulk data transfer facility from DIA
to PACOM.
b. Current Structure
The IDHSC-II connectivity chart is shown in Figure 1. Each
node has a PDP-11/70 and access to one or more communication lines
(24UU-9600 bps) connecting to other nodes' PDP-11/70's. (Two nodes,
NMIC and HQ, EUCOM, have PDP-11/45's instead of 70's.) The computer at
each node has the IDHSC-II standard software package in it, interfacing
DIA review(s) completed.
Copy 2
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SUBJECT: IDHSC-II Briefing
locally created application programs to the DEC DDCMP network protocol
to communicate with whatever machines are at the far end of the
communication lines connected to the given machine in a packet switched
sort of way. The standard software was built by DIA and 25X1
operation.
and was security in October 1979 for system
i gh
c. Relationship With Other Systems
1) COINS
IDHSC-II supports all access to NPIC and NSA files for
COINS-II. Thus, the concept of a "COINS Terminal"'is going away.
COINS-II remote batch will be supported at NPIC in February 1980. The
interactive access is scheduled for the end of 1981. A feasibility
study is underway to use a TAS for interactive access to NPIC COINS
service. The interface between an IDHSC-II computer and the NPIC (or
NSA) computers supporting COINS-II is Teletype Model 40 protocol.
25X1
INDICOM uses, however, IDHSC-II standard software. 25X1
3) AUTODIN-II
IDHSC-II will be replaced, in totality, by AUTODIN-II
when it becomes operational, and when an appropriate network front end
is developed. It was supposed to come up 15 December 1979 but did not.
Further, DCA has not rescheduled IOC yet. estimates IOC 25X
b
2) INDICOM
The INDICOM system is completely disjoint from IDHSC-II.
It is a separate set of lines connecting a separate set of PDP-11 70's
a
out September 1980. The network front a so ware will be developed
by DCA's CCTC (Command and Control Technical Center). DIA started doing
one but C3I got involved causing DIA to relinquish the prerogative to
ULA. DCA promised an "IFE" (maybe "interim front end") running on an
11/7U under the UNIX operating system by 1982. Once the switchover from
IDHSC-II to AUTODIN-II occurs, about 30-40% of AUTODIN traffic will be
due to former IDHSC-II users, according to
4) Tetrahedron
The two Tetrahedron 64 Kb/s lines connecting DIA to NSA
and NPIC are due in February 1980. Other link speed upgrades' (e.g.
9600 to 50,000 feasibility will be iudQed n the Tetrahedron
experience.
25X
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SUBJECT: IDHSC-II Briefing
5) Applications Interfaces
In several cases, application softwar
i
e cores
dent with
IUHSC-II software serves extended functions
Exa
l
.
mp
es are USAREUR and
FSTC using ASSIST and NAVINTCOM using a local teletype network manager
(called TAIL The TAn
ill b
w
e
d t
..undue
o any under user
desiring it. When AUTODIN-II replaces IDHSC-II, the coresidence will be
prohibited due to multi-level securit
_____, 25X1
a
edi
y
ccr
tation
d. IDHSC-II Software
Figure 2 shows a stylized schematic of the internals of the
IDHSC-II software. Three points should be underscored.
1) Main storage is managed by IDHSC-II
2) Packet switching is supported through
disc buffering of messages.
3) The router supports interfaces that
look like:
- IDHSC-I,
- IDHSC-II,
- COINS-I,
- COINS-II, and
- DIAOLS.
3. Futures
No upgrades of IDHSC-II are planned, beyond the conversion of
the software to run under the IAS operating system-to replace RSX-11D.
This conversion will occur as part of maintenance b
withdrawing support of RSX-11D.
IDHSC-II will be replaced by AUTODIN-II when the OCA CCTC
network front end is operational, probab3~ in 1982-1983.
SECRET
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USER
APPLICATION
MSNTOS
DIAOLS
BFRTSK
MAIN STORAGE ALLOCATION
IDHSC-It', GATEWAY
IDHSC-II
COINS-IS,
COINS-II
MESSAGE BUFFER
Protocol
Conver-
sion
ROUTER .*
IDHSC-II/USER INTERFACE
FIGURE 2: IDHSC-II SOFTWARE STRUCTURE
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