OPERATIONAL ERB MEETING REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-00218R000300280002-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 4, 2012
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: February 19, 1988
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00218R000300280002-2
SES-032-88
19 February 1988
MEMORANDUM FOR: Distribution
THROUGH: Chief, Headquarters Engineering Division, ESG
FROM: Jennifer C. Thomas
System Engineering Support, GE
SUBJECT: Operational ERB Meeting Report
1. The Operational Engineering Review Board was held on
18 February 1988 at 1330. See Attachment A for a list of attendees. See
Attachment B for the Agenda.
2. Three new DR's were discussed. See Attachment C for a
description of these DR's. One Critical DR was also discussed and is part
of the new DR's.
3. The O-ERB reviewed five In Progress DR's. See Attachment D for a
description of those DR's. The status updates from the ERB are also
incorporated.
4. One new RFC was discussed. One Walk-on RFC was also discussed.
See Attachment E for a description of these RFC's. See Attachment F for
the current status of the In Progress DR's.
5. One New BR and one Walk-on BR were discussed. See Attachment G
for a description of these RFC's.
7. The next Operational ERB is scheduled for Thursday,
25 February 1988 at 1330.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00218R000300280002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00218R000300280002-2
SUBJECT: Operational ERB Meeting Report
FBIS/ESG/ADD/SES:J.C.Thomas:cg/733-5937(19FEB88)
Distribution:
1 - C/ESG
1 - C/HED
1 - CMO/HED
1 - C/FED
1 - C/PROD
1 - C/ADD
ADD Staff
1 - C/AFSB
1 - C/OPS
1 - C/DRD/OPS
1 - C/WSS/DRD/OPS
1 - C/ME/DRD/OPS
1 - SAM/PROD
1 - SA/OPS
1 - W. Pratt, COTR
1 - LEC, Plainfield
1 - LEC, D. Higgins
1 - LEC, E. Brewer
1 - LEC, Reston
1 - GE/SES Staff
Original - GE/SES Chrono
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B.
H.
J.
J.
D.
A.
S.
D.
P.
B. Hunter
J. Wisor
A. Sellers
Stanbridge
Tate
Cherry
Thomas
Bernholz
Frost
Shelton
Higgins
Viveiros
STAT
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ATTACHMENT B
Discrepancy Report Agenda 17 February 1988
Critical Discrepancy Reports
DR NO Status Priority Originator
Discrepancy Report Agenda 17 February 1988
New Discrepancy Reports
Priority Originator
HU-DR -E-003-88 New C
HU-DR -E-004-88 New B
Discrepancy Report Agenda
H. Tata/WSS
R. Lehman/DC/WSS
17 February 1988
Discrepancy Reports in Progress
HU-DR
-E-004-87
T/I
Priority
C
Actionee
A. Fields/ESG
HU-DR
-E-025-87
T/I
C
D. Higgins/LEC
HU-DR
-E-107-87
Open
B
ATEX
CO-DR
-E-001-88
T/I
B
LEC
CO-DR
-E-002-88
Open
B
E. Brewer/LEC
Request for Change Agenda
New Requests for Changes
RFC NO Status Priority
17 February 1988
Originator
A. Fields/ESG
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YBIS? ATTACHMENT C
Discrepancy Report
Problem Identification:
Incoming Validation Terminated
DR Number: CO-DR -E-011-88 Submit Date:
02-11-1988
Category: I
Problem Date: 02-11-1988 Problem Time:
0825ZGMT
Priority: A
System: HUCS
Subsystem:
VAX
Hardware Configuration:
Model #:
Serial #:
Software Configuration:
Application:
PVALIN.PAS
Version:
1.18
Database:
Procedure:
Affected Documents:
Title: None
Scenario: Location: Reston, VA
Prior Operations:
Originator: C. Jones/HED Phone: (703)733-
Approval for Submittal: Date:
Problem Description:
Incoming validation terminated due to a line with only a null character when the
BFN was expected.
Analysis:
Incoming validation terminated on msg 41089. The line before the BFN Line
contained only a null char. which caused an out of range condition. A check
should be performed to verify the length of the expected BFN line to prevent the
error from occuring.
Corrective Action:
Added code in BFN_ VALIDATION procedure to verify the BFN line length. If the
length is less than two, the line is highlighted and spilled to the operator for
correction as BFN line missing.Installed new version 02-11-88 150OZ
References/Documentation:
Impact:
Related Problems:
Action Completed By: E. Brewer/LEC
Approval:
Status: Closed Date Due: 02-18-1988 Date Closed: 02-18-1988
Status Msg: No doc changes. Recommend closure. Actionee:
Verification provided. E. Brewer/LEC
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VBIS .
Discrepancy Report
Problem Identification:
C/WSSLogon OA-- Three Programmed Keys Do Not Work
DR Number: HU-DR -E-003-88 Submit Date:
Problem Date: 02-11-1988 Problem Time:
02-16-1988
Category:
Priority: C
System:
Subsystem:
ATEX
Hardware Configuration:
Model #:
Serial #:
Software Configuration:
Application:
Version:
Database:
Procedure:
Affected Documents:
Title:
Scenario: Location:
Prior Operations:
Originator: H. Tate/WSS Phone:
Approval for Submittal: Date:
Problem Description:
Programmed keys READ AD, READ OP, and C/WS under the OA logon elicit the message
- NO PROGRAM SAVED.
Analysis:
Corrective Action:
)A logon did not have OA.P33,OA.P35, and OA.P65, READ AD, READ OP, and C/WS
respectively. I have copied these over for him and they appear to be functioning
correctly.
References/Documentation:
ATEX System Manager Manual p. 1-32.
Impact:
Related Problems:
Action Completed By:
Approval:
Status: Closed Date Due: 02-18-1988 Date Closed: 02-18-1988
Status Msg: This is a resubmission. Actionee:
B. Baker/HED
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'FBIS
Discrepancy Report
Problem Identification:
Wire Transmitted Wrong Items
DR Number: HU-DR -E-004-88 Submit Date: 02-16-1988 Category:
Problem Date: 02-16-1988 Problem Time: 1625 Priority: B
System: HUCS Subsystem: ATEX
Hardware Configuration:
Model #:
Serial #:
Software Configuration:
Database:
Procedure:
Affected Documents:
Title:
Application:
Version:
Scenario: Location:
Prior Operations:
Originator: R. Lehman/DC/WSS Phone: [phone]
Approval for Submittal: H. Tate/C/WSS Date: 02-16-1988
Problem Description:
Wire transmitted 46-49; instead of current items, system transmitted 46-49 of 15
Feb instead of transmitting items of 16 Feb.
Analysis:
Corrective Action:
Response to docing on the VAX will completely remove this problem. For interim
fix, see HU-BR-E-003-88.
References/Documentation:
Impact:
Related Problems:
Action Completed By:
Approval:
Status: Open Date Due: 03-03-1988 Date Closed:
Status Msg: ---------- Actionee:
B. Baker/HED
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F'BIS
DR Status Report
ATTACHMENT D
18 February 1988
DR NO
PRIORITY
TITLE
DATE LOGO
DUE DATE
ORIGINATOR
ACTIONEE
STATUS
CO-DR -E-001-88
Line Condition
01-06-1988
N. Brodeur/AFBIS
T/I
B
Occurs Which
03-03-1988
E. Brewer/LEC
Work in progress. CO-DR-E-007-88 closed
Inhibits Msgs. From
to this DR. Verification provided.
CO-DR -E-002-88
Garbled London
01-11-1988
G. Gutendorf/HED
Closed
B
Message Hung PVALIN
02-18-1988
E. Brewer/LEC
No doc. changes. Verification provided.
HU-DR -E-004-87
Add Line To
07-29-1987
Ops Wire Service
Recommend closure.
T/I
C
Selective Directory
02-25-1988
A. Fields/ESG
Assigned to Alison to investigate.
Menu.
Report at O-ERB 02-25-88
HU-DR -E-025-87
Bulletin/Note Field
08-06-1987
C. Hersh, DC/WSS
Closed
C
Lines Are Not
02-18-1988
D. Higgins/LEC
Closed to HU-RFC-E-006-87.
Discrete.
HU-DR -E-107-87
Imbalance Between
09-25-1987 I
Open
STAT
B
Mirrored Systems
02-25-1988
ATEX
DR discussed at ERB 2-18. Waiting
response from ATEX.
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FBIS'
Request for Change
Title: Read-In For DRD
Date Logged: 02-16-1988 Priority: B
?DRD STAT
Originator: A. Fields/ESG Telephone Number: [phone]
Affected Documents:
Title: ATEX Number:
Need for Change:
Users on Systems 1-4 need to be able to read-in (i.e., have access to ADMIN and
SERVICE message and various Wire queues) without causing heavy system overload
and slow response time.
Board Comments: HU-DR-E-095-87, HU-MR-E-014-87, HU-RFC-E-020-87
and HU-RFC-E-026-87 are all closed into this RFC.
HU-DR-E-025-87 closed to this DR on 2/28
Status: Open Due Date: 03-03-1988 Actionee: A. Fields/ESG
Status Msg: Scheduled as part of ESP II work.
Date Closed:
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FBIS
Request for Change
Title: Upgrade To The ATEX System
Affected Documents:
Title: Number:
Need for Change:
See Attached.
Description of Change:
See Attached.
Status: Approval Due Date: 02-18-1988 Actionee: M. Tanigawa/ADD
Status Msg: Referred to the CCB for final approval. Has ERB approval and support.
Date Closed:
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Attachment for HU-RFC-E-008-88 (Upgrade to the ATEX System)
NEED FOR CHANGE:
The Atex system does not provide adequate performance and fully satisfy
its users - the Wire Service, Daily Reports, and JPRS. The results of the ATEX
System performance studies point to the lack of sufficient memory as the single
most important problem for all three categories of performance problems that
were analyzed. Following memory the remaining factors which related to the
Wire Service function were I/O services, including the Multi-Processor Bus and
access to the System Disk, the availability of CPU cycles, and the quantity of
incoming wire message traffic.
DESCRIPTION OF CHANGE:
The studies suggest that ESP-2 is a relevant improvement, providing a
dramatic improvement in memory, more flexible allocation of memory, and better
memory utilization strategies. The availability of much improved cache memory
in ESP-2 suggests that it will provide some relief to the I/O bottlenecks.
Purchasing ESP-2, for all six ATEX Systems, should help clear up a major
portion of the problem, since memory is so strongly implicated, and since ESP-2
provides a major increase in memory. It is recommended that the optional
upgrade to an additional 4 MB also be procured.
Software improvements bundled in ESP-2 should improve the efficiency of
the Multi-Processor Bus, and reduce its negative impact on performance. The
software associated with ESP-2 provides better handling of errors associated
with MPB traffic, which in turn reduces the number of time-outs.
The problem of CPU cycle availability can be partly alleviated by
upgrading the current 15 MHz DEC J-11 processors to 18 MHz J-11 processors for
all six Atex systems. The need for additional CPU cycles suggest the value in
upgrading to the faster J-11 chip.
The analysis does not point up as much as the daily statistics do, that
the system disks on Atex systems 1, 2, 3, and 4 are badly overworked. Although
the improved approach to caching in ESP-2 may provide a 40 percent improvement,
the problem of disk accesses is so severe that additional relief will be re-
quired. It is recommended that thought be given as to how the system can be
reorganized in the new ESP-2 hardware architecture to further reduce the number
of disk and Multi-Processor Bus accesses.
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FBIS
ATTACHMENT F
RFC Status Report
18 February 1988
RFC NO TITLE
PRIORITY
HU-RFC-E-015-87 Additional Disk
DATE LOGO
DUE DATE
08-04-1987
ORIGINATOR
ACTIONEE
W. Pratt
Open
C Drives For Atex And
03-17-1988
J. Wisor/HED
Proposal
for new disk drives has been
Xyvision.
issued.
Deadline for proposal os
HU-RFC-E-029-87 DOCBUILD FOR
10-28-1987
A. Usaty
Open
C CRS-COMPILED REPORTS
03-17-1988
A. Fields/ESG
Kathy working with PROD on generating
alternatives.
HU-RFC-E-003-88 Marking UNCLAS Line
01-29-1988 I
CESG
Open STAT
B On VAX
02-25-1988
Higgins/LEC/Brewer
Delores has completed ATEX
investigation. Brewer to report on VAX
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FBIS ATTACHMENT G
Build Request
Title: Wire Transmitted Wrong Items
BR No.: HU-BR-E-003-88 Contract No.:
Date Logged: 17 Feb 88 Priority: B
Originator: Fields Telephone Number:
Type Change: Software Hardware Facility Procedure Documentation
System/Subsystem Affected: Atex
Component Affected:
System Impact:
Affected Documents:
Title: SCHED 6 in CUSTOM-SYS on Atex Number:
Description of Change:
Procedures for cleaning out "SPIKE-SYS" will be modified to take place
at 0000 GMT rather than 2100 GMT. Cleaning out HOLD1-COM will also be put
on a TSCHED as well. Changes made to ATEX system to resolve HU-DR-E-004-88.
Installation Procedures:
TSCHED procedures changed by system manager by running BLD SHD.
Verification/Test Procedures:
System manager will verify at 0000 GMT by checking queue to verify purging
complete.
Scheduled Installation Date: 17 Feb 88 C/AFSB:
Result: Disapproved Acceptance:
ERB Chairman Approval: ll,,~ Date: 17 February 1988
Board Comments:
Proposed solution was not appropriate to the problem and was not implemented.
STATUS: CLOSED ST MSG:
ACTIONEE: B. Baker/HED
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FBIS
Build Request
BR No.: HU-BR-004-88 Contract No.:
Date Logged: 2/17/88 Priority: B
Originator: A. Fields Telephone Number:
Type Change: Software Hardware Facility Procedure Documentation
System/Subsystem Affected: Atex
Component Affected:
System Impact: Installation: None (Activation: unknown-not scheduled now)
Affected Documents: N/A
Title: Number:
Description of Change:
The installation of the Reader Utililty on all six Atex systems.
Utility will provide system performance statistics.
1455 - installed and turned off. 1510 - because utility interfered with
XYvision links.
Installation Procedures:
Standard Atex procedures performed by Atex engineer Hayes.
Verification/Test Procedures:
Standard Atex procedures performed by Atex engineer Hayes.
Scheduled Installation Date: 2/17/88 C/AFSB:
Result: Disapproved Acceptance: 18 February 1988
ERB Chairman Approval: Date:
Board Comments:
Installed 1455 and turned off 1510 because utility interferred with XYvision
links.
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