OFF-SITE COMPUTER CENTER PLANNING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87M00539R002404050028-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 4, 2009
• Sequence Number: 28
• Publication Date: February 25, 1985
• Content Type: MEMO

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ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
STAT
Off-Site Computer Center Planning
Harry E. Fitzwater
DDA
7D18 HQ
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
EXDIR
7E12 HQ
FORM 61 U USE PREVIOUS
I-79 EDITIONS
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2-T FEB 1985
OFFICER'S I COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
INITIALS to whom. Draw a line ac oss column after each comment.)
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DDA Registry
85-0122/8
N 5 FEB 1985
FROM: Harry E. Fitzwater
Deputy Director for Administration
SUBJECT: Off-Site Computer Center Planning
REFERENCE: A. Note for DDA fm EXDIR, dtd 7 Jan 85
B. Attachment to above note, dtd 2 Jan 85,
Same Subject
I have attached a memorandum from (which addresses the
referenced Creative Problem-Solving Item on Off-Site Computer Center
Planning. riefing on Tuesday, 26 February 1985 should
further enlighten us on this subject.
ci
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DDA Registry
85-0122/7
MEMORANDUM FOR: Harry E. Fitzwater
Deputy Director for Administration
SUBJECT:
CIA Computer
Off-Site Comp
Study Panel
uter Center Planni:ig
REFERENCE: A. Note for DDA fm E}DIR, dtd 7 Jan 85
B. Attachment to above note, dtd 2 Jan 85,
Same Subject
1. In response to the Executive Director's note (Reference A), I
have examined the proposal contained in Reference B in the light of the
discussions, findings, and recommendations of the Study Panel which I
chair.
2. Before commenting on Reference B, I would like to briefly
summarize some of the highlights of the Panel's report, which is now
completed. The Panel examined a number of space options for preventing
displacement of people in the Headquarters by computers. All of those
options involved establishment of a separate computer facility whereby
computers would not be competing with people for space. The options
studied included moving all ODP computers to a separate computer center
located at any one of four remote sites or at a site on-the Langley
compound (as proposed in Reference B),. Other options involved dividing
ODP_operations with some services provided by a computer center located
in the new Headquarters addition and other services provided by a
separate center located at any one of the five sites mentioned above.
After studying these options, the Panel recommended dividing ODP
operations between two centers. One would be a 100,000 sq.ft. center in
the new Headquarters addition, and the other a 50,000 sq.ft. center,
plus support space, located in the nearby Virginia/Maryland area. The
100,000 sq.ft. center in the new Headquarters addition would provide
communications-intensive services to its user population and would not
be permitted to grow beyond this fixed ceiling. The remote 50,000
sq.ft. center would provide services that are less communications
intensive (such as Community and Development), provide a spillover file
storage capability for the Headquarters center, and be designed for
expandability for future growth.
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3. The Panel rejected the idea of relocating all ODP services
to a new center located on the Langley compound (as proposed in
Reference B). While the Langley location offers many
advantages-particularly low cost, reliable communications, and a good
inplace security infrastructure-the Panel felt that the following
considerations overrode those advantages.
a. Local community opposition to additional cans truc: ti cn
at Langley might indefinitely delay construction of the
separate computer building on the Langley site. With a
pressing need to obtain additional space by 1992, this
presented an unacceptable uncertainty.
b. A single-site operation (Langley) would not provide
many of the important and much needed survivability and
reliability benefits of a divided operation (sane computer
services at Langley and some at a remote site).
c. The failure to use the TEMPEST canputer-grade
space in the new addition for the purpose intended,
could not be justified from a cost/effectiveness point
of view.
4. If, in the judgement of Agency management, these concerns
are not as important as the Panel views them, the proposal made in
Reference R should be adopted. It is reasonable and would overcome
some of the risks associated with other options.
5. The author of this problem-solving idea is to be commended for
his concern and his thoughtful comments.
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Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
7 January 1985
DC/SIB/FSG/IM$
Thank you for your suggestion
on a site for our Headquarters
computers.
You are correct in understanding
that placement of computers originally
intended for the new building is being
reconsidered. In fact, we have had
a panel of outside and inside experts,
chaired by a former CIA Director of
Data Processing, studying this problem
for some time.
Your points on the pros and cons
for an off-the-compound location were
well taken. While I am confident the
panel is doing a thorough job in
analyzing various site options, I am
sending them your paper for consideration.
I am also extremely pleased that,
working in information handling, you
are so alert to the security problems
inherent in the systems.
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Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
~,2 85 - ovq~i
7 January 1985
Please pass the attached
contribution to the Creative Problem
Solving Campaign to the May Panel for
their consideration.
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EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
ROUTING SLIP
D/ICS
SA/IA
STAT
(d Jan 85
Date
. 3637- (10-81)
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ER 85-009
2 January 1985
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
FROM:
Deputy Chief, SIB/FSG/IMS
Room GA-20, Headquarters
SUBJECT: Off-Site Computer Center Planning
REFERENCE: DCI Memorandum, Dated 28 November 1984,
Subject: Creative Problem Solving
Summary: This memorandum recommends that a central computer
facility not be placed in the new Headquarters building or a
remote location outside the Headquarters compound. The
alternative recommendation is a central computer 'Facility in
a TEMPEST-shielded structure on the Headquarters compound.
1. It is my understanding that placement of a computer
center in the new building is under review -- with an eye toward
using the space within the new building for offices and
"remoting" the computer center
Although it may be technically feasible to
place the main computer center off-site, with
leased-line connections to the terminals in Headquarters, there
are several negative results -- contrasted with positive reasons
for consolidating computing power at Headquarters -- that argue
for the construction of a computer center on the compound
2. Among the reasons AGAINST placing the computer center in
a remote location are:
C O N F L I) i? rI T r A i.,.
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