, ~1 3 1 1118 EIII IAL ? E WILT
12
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STATINTL
13 AU G 1980
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, Development and Analysis Center
Office of Economic Research
THROUGH:
NF
on rol Officer
FROM:
Philip K. Eckman
Director of Research and Development
SUBJECT:
Joint'OER/ORD Information Processing Project (U)
REFERENCES:
A.
B.
C.
OER memorandum dated 26 December 1979,
Subject: Request for Research Support
ORD-160-80, dated 25 February 1980,
Subject: OER Information Processing
Requirements
OER memorandum dated 17 April 1980,
Subject: Joint OER/ORD Information
Processing Project
1. This memorandum is provided as an interim response to the
request contained in reference A. Two specific areas of support
are identified in the reference. The first concerns computer sup-
STATINTL port to OED's large economic data base. Since memo-
randum identifies a partial response to this problem by 0 , a
coordination with that office is under way. Additionally, ORD
has an active program to develop a digital optical disk storage
system. This is briefly discussed below. The second concerns a
possible interest in ORD's work in relational data base management
systems. The next paragraphs discuss a project which addresses
the two offices' mutual interests in this area. (AIUO)
2. It is this office's desire to have an evaluation performed
of the utility of the relational data base management system,
ORACLE, and the APL-like environment, APIS. In order to perform
this evaluation ORD will loan a PDP-11/34 system to OER for the
duration of the joint activity. The configuration of the system
is:
Approv
Jfr31E~
ADMIPTHATIVE - INTERNAL USE r" i
Approved For elease 2002/01/24: CIA-RDP83T00573R000300220008-0
SUBJECT: Joint OER/ORD Information Processing Project (U)
(1) PDP-11/34 with 256K bytes memory
(2) RL-01 Disk Drives (@ 5.2M bytes each) with
RL-11 Controller
(1) LA-120 DEC Writer III Keyboard/Printer
(1) Sanders Technology Media 12/7 Printer
ORD will acquire a TS-11 1600 BPI tape drive using OER funds to
be transferred to ORD for this purpose. ORD will fund the main-
tenance contract for the duration of the joint effort. ORD will,
provide the following software:
(1)
APIS software system including:
ORACLE/UNIX data base management system
UNIX operating system'with utilities
RSX-11M operating system
ORACLE/RSX-11M data base management system
"C" compiler for RSX-11M
Pascal Compiler for UNIX
ORD will acquire an APL-11 Interpreter for the RSX-11M operating
system using OER funds to be transferred to ORD for this purpose.
(U)
3. The specific tasks for this evaluation are:
TASK 1 - Install and Evaluate the APIS Environment
This task is as described in reference B. It is requested
OER provide a written report to ORD summarizing OER's evaluation
of the environment with respect to its capabilities and system
performance.
TASK 2 - Evaluate ORACLE
This task is similar in scope to that described in paragraph
three of reference C. Economic data base applications will be
implemented using ORACLE. It is requested a written report be
provided that assesses this software's capabilities, utility, and
performance from the application developer's viewpoint and system
performance viewpoint.
TASK 3 - Environment Extensions
Based upon the results of the first two tasks, ORD will
prepare a proposal which considers possible extensions to the
software environments. These may include the integration of APL-
11 with ORACLE, extensions to APIS for economic analysis, and
software migration to facilitate economic analyst access. (U)
2
ApprovedEn
MI /01/2 ~fftgX 8ff gr7dRI 300220008-0
j i u ni u. UQL UIlLI
Approved For I e'ease 2002/01/24: CIA-RDP83T00573RO00300220008-0
pp
ve
tat
rovide the consu
to
p
d
er
n or
I
4.
STATINTLfor tasks one and two and to prepare the proposal that is task
three, ORD will contract with the developer of
the APIS environment. The contractor is also knowledgeable in
the use of ORACLE. Funds will be provided by OER for this pur-
pose. The allocation of the contractor support across the three
tasks will be determined by OER's specific requirements. All
funds.will be used in direct support of this joint activity and
OER's concurrence will be required for the allocation of the
funds. (AIUO)
5. The time required for these tasks is approximately nine
months. It is planned that the effort not exceed twelve months
as no budgetary commitments have been provided beyond that period.
OER's financial obligation,for this period is:
? VT-100 Video Display Unit with APL
$ 3,000
character set
?
APL character set for LA-120
$ 500
?
TS-11 tape drive
$11,000
?
"C" Compiler F Pascal Compiler
$ 1,480
?
APL-11 interpreter
$ 3,450
contractor support
$45,570 for approx.
?
STATINTL
seven man-months
(AIUO)
SUBJECT: Joint OER/ORD Information Processing Project (U)
ort required
su
i
l
6. Of high interest to OER is support of very large data
bases. It is recommended this be pursued on a basis separate
from the above project. OD&E, ODP, and NPIC have expressed an
interest in optical/video disk technology for digital storage
and retrieval. ORD is actively developing this technology for
introduction to Agency environments. An engineering development
model is expected to be available for OD&E evaluation during
FY81. This technology should not be incorporated into the PDP-
11/34 computer system without careful analysis. While technically
feasible to add such equipment to the minicomputer it does not
follow that the computer system has the computational power to
work the economic models using large amounts of data. Therefore
it may not be advisable to use the PDP-11/34 system beyond the
planned tasks described above. (AIUO)
7. Additionally, there is a need to establish a strategy
for making any outgrowths from this effort available to the
economic analyst. As you know, analysts presently have available
Ruffing Center (IBM technology) services. The SAFE system may
present a second technology base with which the analysts will
work. A third technology base (DEC) may not be advisable. Hence
ApproveAB ~ a IT ft1/24J -RNA6U
1Y00220008-0
Approved For 'ease 2002/01/24: CIA-RDP83T005739600300220008-0
ADMINISTRATIVE-INTERNAL USE ONLY
2 ,J 7 C'', 131 9
MEMORANDUM FOR. Dr. Philip K. Eckman
Director of Research and Development
FROM: Acting Director of Economic Research
SUBJECT: Request for Research Support
1. I would appreciate your help in identifying methods
for implementing a very large computer storage system. The
objective of the project will be to identify within six
months a configuration of hardware and software that will
satisfy OER's immediate and long-term requirements for a
very large computer data base system, and that can be imple-
mented by January 1981.
2. The problem this project will address is how to make
effective use of the 20 billion bytes of machine-readable
economic data that form the basis of much of OER's research
and intelligence production. We now use computer tapes as
our primary storage medium and. the CROSSTABS software package
as our primary data access method. With single jobs calling
for as many as 40 tape mounts, the system is not very respon-
sive. Worse still, deterioration of and damage to our 2300
reels of tape in the Ruffing Center force us to spend more
time recreating data than we do analyzing them.
3. The Office of Data Processing (ODP) recognizes our
problems with the tapes. They recently offered us disk
storage for all our data, but-on the condition that we find
an acceptable means of storing and retrieving the data.. We
have two packages--APLDI and RAMIS--that are effective for
data bases of more modest dimensions, but they cannot satisfy
our requirements for the entire OER data base. We think that
so:1e of the developing relational data base management systems
ADMINISTRATIVE-INTERNAL USE ONLY
Approved For Release 2002/01/24: CIA-RDP83T00573R000300220008-0
AD I FIST TI E - INTERNAL USE UNIT
Approved For' (ease 2002/01/24: CIA-RDP83T00573R000300220008-0
SUBJECT: Joint OER/ORD Information Processing Project (U)
it is recommended that consideration be given to the migration of
any desired tool (APIS, ORACLE, or other presently unavailable
service) to the Ruffing Center or SAFE environments. In the
near-term (two years) it may be preferable to limit the consid-
eration of tool migration to the Ruffing Center. (AIUO)
8. Discussions with ODP are in progress to address mass
storage requirements in the Ruffing and Special centers. In-
cluded in these conversations are the topics of systems software
support for data access and the integration of special systems,
such as optical disk systems, into these computer centers. It is
this office's intent to keep OER apprised of progress in this
area directed to addressing OER's needs. Because of the status
of activities between ORD 4nd ODP and'the development of the
optical disk system it is premature to identify a specific direc-
tion or schedule for resolution of OER's needs. As these activi-
ties develop a solution to OER's requirements will be specified.
9. As an aside, you may be aware that ORD is in the process
of acquiring a VAX-.11/780 computer system. This system is in-
tended primarily as an image processing facility. A secondary
function is to support work similar to the outlined joint effort.
It should be possible to make this environment available to the
Development and Analysis Center, via terminal, on a project
basis. The VAX system will have the ability to support large
data bases and will have special computational ability (e.g.,
array processors) such as that required for imagery work or large
STATINT COnomic models. This to is should be pursued between the DAC/
ER and DPR/ORD. , Chief IPB/DPR, will
assist you in this area. (AIUO)
STATINTL
Philip K. Eckman
Attachments:
References A, B, and C
Appro 9IMIS 6 ~ ~ /01/IMMUET~A~5 Q 99300220008-0
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C
ADMINISTRATIVE-INTERNAL USE ONLY
STATINTL
STATINTL
STATINTL
and new storage hardware may be able to satisfy our require-
ments. Knowing ORD is working in both these areas, we turn
.to you for help.
4. Any help you choose to give us probably can be
subsumed in existing requirements. In 1978 OER submitted
a request for the DDS&T to develop a machine storage
system, including software. We most recently confirmed
this requirement in July 1979 to NFAC's Coordinator for
R&D Support and accorded the project our highest priority
in the data-handling category. Messrs. and
(extension will be OER's technical STATINTL
experts on the proj,ect.
STATINTL
Distribution:
Orig & 1 - Addressee
2 - D/OER
2 - DAC
OER:DAC skf : 20llec79
ADMINISTRATIVE-INTERNAL USE ONLY
Approved For Release 2002/01/24: CIA-RDP83T00573R00Q300220008-0
STATINTL
Approved For W ease 2002/01/24 : M0300220008-0 AV%
Ar 44
C
25 February 1980
STATINTL
MEMORMDUH FOR:
Chief, Systems Development Group
Office of Economic Research
THROUGH: .AC/IPB/DPR/ORD
Data Processing Research
Office of Research and Development
SUBJECT: OER Information Processing Requirements
REFERENCES: ORD-093-80, dated 28 Jan 1980, subject
Research Support; and D/OER's memorandum,
dated 26 Dec 1979, subject Request for
Research Support
1. Bac'_:round
Director, Office of Economic Research, has requested
ORD to assist in the analysis of OER's information proces-_
sing requirements. C/IPB has assigned this project to me.
Consequently, I met with you and your staff members to
discuss concepts and alternatives for investigating feasible
solutions to support OER's information processing require--.
ments. This memorandum suggests an initial approach to - -
analyzing and developing tools for exploring OER's informa-
tion. processing requirements.
The Office of Economic Research is tasked with ana-
lyzing very large amounts of raw economic data in order
ished intelligence on trade, GNP, productivity
fi
n
prepare
and economic activity (among other topics) of all nations of
interest to the United States. lgenerally, this task requires
the analysis of many large (>10 bits) economic data bases.
This analysis involves the development, application and
interpretation of many complex economic models to the avail-
able data in order to derive finished intelligence. In many
lin
f d
g
ea
areas, OER possesses the only expertise capable o
with the problem.
Approved For Release 2002/01/2 1,, 5738000300220008=0 _
STATI'NTL FROM:
ORD-160-80
C
SUBJECT: O'ER Information Processing Requirements
2. Objectives:
This memorandum proposes Phase I of the development of
an advanced research tool for OER analysts. This tool is
intended to meet several criteria:
a. provide OER analysts with an integrated
analytical tool (e.g., APL) which is capable of
directly accessing the various econimic data bases;
b. provide OER analysts with simple, unparal-
leled access to data. without resorting to the neces-
sity of interfacing with a programming specialist;
c. provide online access to OER analysts for
economic data bases totaling over 20 billion bytes of
data.
'... The development, implementation and evaluation of this
research tool will be accomplished in two phases:
o phase I - A Personal Computing Facility..
o phase II - An Archival Data Base Facility
STATINTL
3. Personnel and Organizational Components
ORD/DPR
OER/SDG
OER Staff Members
ORD Contractors
ODP Staff Member
4. Funding:
Funding for Phase I wil' be provided by the Office of
Economic Research according to the tasks outlined in section
7-.--The initial cost for phase I hardware/software--A Personal
Computing Facility--is estimated to be $48,000. These funds
will be used to provide a personal computing system with
associated software and to provide initial contractor support
to assist OER in software development. Additional funding,
to be supplied by OER, will be required for software integra-
tion and development tasks once the personal computing
facility testbed has been installed and evaluated by OER.
Approved For MeIease 2002/01/24: CIA-RDP83T00573M00300220008-0
Approved For Release 2002/01/24. OIA D 83XT0073R00,03.00220068_0-
SUBJECT: OER Information Processing Requirements
Total funding for Phase
This estimate is obtained as
r:_ '(does not include :tape
,drive and video display
units)
Software
.. -$12,000
$60,000;.
During phase II--An Archival'Data Base Facility
OER/ORD personnel. and contractors will investigate the?,
.availability of optical.disk technology for.archival~?storage'-
:-of digital information. Several manufacturers are actively
engaged in prototype development of'archival, storage.'facili
ties bas6d on optical disk technology. Among these. are
Magnavox Government and Industrial Electronics Co. , , an..IBM-
IICA Consortium, and XEROX" E lectro -Optical Systems Division.
:A subsequent menoranduri will propose..:the .,tasks.: to be per.;-
formed in Phase II.
Approved For Flease 2002/ T0057310.03002200084
S. Phase I - Hardware-.
A minicomputer ' system of the PDP-11/34 .class is suggeste
for this project. This minicomputer.systemcan support-'-
, V
:.;
multiple,. sequential users and.will execute APL-11 with
PDP-11/34 Packaged System-includes:
(2) RL-01 Removable Disks C@5 2MB each)
LA-36 Console Printer (09600- Baud)
256K bytes memory ?
Line Frequency Clock
which is packaged in one..72" high Cabinet
Sander's Media 12/7 Typographic Printer
n7-11 Asynchronous Multinlexor' (8 Lines) _;: `,
OQ5T3Ri~4Q3QA2~2U.~~$=Ek _ t 'J r_-
WA
Approved For Rele a 2002~w,,
3T00573A600300220008-0-
-SUBJECT: OER Information. Processing Requirements
The cost of this system, estimated to be..$35,000, is
based on.the list price of the PDP-11/34 given-by Digital.
Equipment Corp.' .The- FY-80 GSA Schedule will provide the
government with several discounts for. the equipment men-.
-t-ioned above. " ' At least. a 10 percent, and possibly more discount will be applicable to this equipment.. An addi-
-;'.` tional - discount . is . available through _the contractor for. the
:Personal Computing Project due to the large- .volume .cifbusi!
:Hess it conducts with Digital.. Equipment Corp.
The PDP-11/34' system is configured for an-office `envi
ronment. It is anticipated that this-machine will be in-
;-';stalled in OER's Development Analysis Center.--.I.:suggest
that a magnetic tape-drive for system checkpoints should
'also be procured by OER. -Video.'display units-will be fur.-
-nished. by. OER. These may -be attached ~ to the system through
--the DZ-11 multiplexor. ---' OER must.also - obtain a maintenance
contract, estimated at $3,200..per year,--for the equipment.
In Phase. I, .two software systems ti,7ill be. provided for,,.
::experimentation in the personal computing environment.
....These are the _RSX-11M .and..the Agency Personal- Information
,~
Sys t e:a .
Additional software. must be acquired to accomplis]
several tasks related toy economic analysis.
The UNIX operating system is the-.basis for-the Agency
-Personal Information System (APIS) . APIS will 'include the
ORACLE/UNIX relational data base :manageinent', system,' -a.'docu
ment preparation system interfaced to the-Sander's typo-
graphic printer arid 'a wide variety of: UNIX utilities.-::.The
cost of a UNIX license (version '6) is, $ 6,7 0 0. The : cost _:of
ORACLE/U lIX? is $2000.
RSX-1111,1 is the, standard operating system for the` PDP- `
11/34. . Its cost is "bundled" into the price of the hard-
ware. OER will -need to acquire the -following software. items
for compatibility:. .., ' .
oan ORACLE/RSX license at $2,000 o a ":C"..Language Compiler for RSX-11M_ at
Approved= For:eleasd2Uq f 0,83roo57,3RQa'Qavo220009 o
,000. _:-
Approved For le 2002/01/il Mal ,
SUBJECT. OER Information Processing Requirements
In addition, many OER analysts make extensive use of
-APL to develop models and solve economic problems..-APL-11
is available under RSX-11H for a ' one-time .license fee of
approximately $3,000.'
-7. Phase 'l = Project Tasks
This project is involved in developing-new approaches
to .designing and processing very- large economic data bases
esystetm will serve as a testbed for pursuing new methods in-;-.
or___ 'irg stnring_ retriovirig and processing economic data
bases.
1+L4 v
offers a simple tabular view of data while making it acces-
sible to nonprograrmers through-a.nonprocedural,English-
substantial benefits in the way ;it organizes "and manipulate"
data.
The tasks to be -accomplished` in 'Phase `I are described
. in the following paragraphs.' ' These tasks are ixitended. to
e . ; + the max mum utility and herief it to the' Agency with
regard to the processing of very large economic data oases.
In Phase' I, the .~obj ective:,of this..proj ect-is ..to to. z
environment.
A Personal Computer will be installed in, OER/DAC
spaces. This system will runthe ' APIS software and RSX-.11M..',
sonai computer system to prepare documents, develop com-,--
. putational models-and manage data. :OER analysts will be
instructed in the-use of.APIS softwaro.and asked .to evaluate
its utility to their working. environment..
Approved?Fer Release- 2002MV-2#
L AN
+3 +oa tLL,Lsl M+.e/
Approved For R!F(
Economic Data Bases Y-:
able to ultimately design and create their own. databases
Neverth.ess, there remain several questions of access.":
efficiencv.related to data base design which-should be
stably. Different analysts wili-requiredifferentviews and
organizations of ,the data base to -support their analysis.
Economic data bases Mould. be. implemented,stored, and
-retrieved.. using the ORACLE relational data 'base management
system. ORACLE offers simplistic, ` flexible and easy access
to a 'data-base; so much so that tre expect .OBR.. analysts to be
.
The complexity of these economic data bases varies consid- .
- (examining random records) .methods . Data :base structure 1s
.crucial..to the efficiency with. which 'very large` data bases
be processed since' any system will be largely 1/O.. bound..
":can
adhoc
using both` sequential -;(examining all records).--and
Olit. conducts analysis. on several very' large economic
'explored in this project. This task requires tfie servzces
of a database expert a, in;data basedesign evaluation.
Estimated Effort 2-3 montlis/OP.D Contractor,
.base. ls. APL-11 is written -in PDP ll Assembly. language
-these modules wi3l: be written in.-t1ACRO-.ll -;to -interface-with
ORACLE. The expert.; services of a.PDP-11 programmer, will be
required..
interface -between'APL-11*.and:.the..ORACLE data base management
system by developing and integrating with APL-11 a set of -_
module ;:,which allows an, APL. user -:to directly access.-the data
analysts-is APL. ^` OER has recognized 'the,. efficacy of ..util
i.zing APL with a data base management-. system. No current
facility exists :within` RSX-11M, This -task will develop: an
,SUBJECT: OER Information Processing Requirements
TASK 4 - Develop Testbed Economic Data Base
Using. a subset of the UN Data 'Base, a 'testbed. economic
Relational Data Base Management System. ..The ORD Contractor
data base will be implemented and tested under the.ORACLE
.work with these data base designs'to determine . their impact
_plemented and evaluated for efficiency. OER.analysts will =
results of Task 2, several data base designs will be.im-
the ORACLE system to manipulate and manage data. Using the
.will work closely with OLR.personnel to train them in using
upon the user's perception of the data.
Estimated Effort: ..4-6 months/OER Personnel,
TASK 5 -.Extensions to-,APIS for Economic-Analysis..
During the APIS evaluation period, it.is quite likely
that OER Personnel will determine additional-features to be
required to develop these extensions.:-Additional funding;;:
OER's needs. It is not possible : to :estimate : the?. effort
possible for other potential users:..in:addition to .satisfyin -
extensions will' be developed'. to have-a'5'
ave. as- great a utility:s.
to decide which ones shall be designed and.implemented,..;.Any-=
be discussed with the ORD Contractor`and.:.the COTR.in'order?
added to the APIS system software. Specific., features Will
will be required to support the contractor,duringdevelop-
mentof_these extensions.
TASK 6 - Phase .11 Planning
plan will provide an approach for evolutionary progress-from -
date are interfaced to a PDP-ll family computer. ..:Thus,~this
the planning team.. Most optical disk systems-'surveyed' to r
%
involved in this task, no contractors illbincruided.in
Because of the proprietary -nature. of ;.he :technica].data
storage facility for storing large economic-data bases.'-
involve evaluation and acquisition of an optical disk mass.
detailed project plan for Phase II efforts.. .Phase II 'will
OER Personnel .and the Project .Officer' gill develop. a
.r'
Phase I. Y .~?, `~ .. 7 ... . .
Approved For. Release 2002/01/24: CIA-RDP83T00573W00300220008-0
Approved For R ease 2002/01/24: CIA-RDP83T00573M00300220008-0
a
SUBJECT: OER Information Processing Requirements
Orig - Addee
1 - DD/ORD
.1 - DPR Chrono
.1 AC/IPB Chrono
.1 - D/ODP - FYI
1. - ORD Re istr
STATIJVTL. ORD/DPR/DD/SwT/
Approved For Release 2002/01/24: CIA-RDP83T0057300300220008-0
17 April 1980
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, Office of Research and Development
FROM: Chief, Development and Analysis Center, OER
SUBJECT: Joint OER/ORD Information Processing Project
REFERENCE: ORD-160-80, dated 25 February 1980,
Subject: OER Information Processing
Requirements
1. Thank you for your response to our request for help with
our information processing requirements. We would like to go
ahead with the project you proposed. OER approved the project
and will provide the money. Our administrative staff is drawing
up the. papers. for the funds transfer (see Attachments).
2. The total amount to be transferred is $65,000. We under-
stand we will receive the following in return:
-- Hardware
-one PDP-11/34 as described in paragraph 5
of the reference.
-One Sanders Media 12/7 Printer.
-One DZ-11 Multiplexer (8 lines).
-One 800/1600 bpi tape drive.
-One APL/ASCII video terminal.
-- Software
-A UNIX license.
-An ORACLE/UNIX license.
-An ORACLE/RSX license.
-A "C" language compiler (RSX-11M version).
-An APL-11 license (RSX-11M version).
-A one-year maintenance contract for the entire system.
Approved For Release 2002/01/24: CIA-RDP83T00573R000300220008-0
Approved Fox e# se 2002/01/24 IA-RDP83T00573R000300220008-0
c~ con inued ~r+
-Additional hardware, software and contractor
services in support of the.OER project in the
amount of $49,000. (We assume ORD will spend
at least 70 percent of the $65,000 transferred
in support of the OER project.
3. We are planning to do much of the development work pro-
posed for this project on "live" economic intelligence problems,
to help produce finished intelligence. For example, we plan to
develop the following:
-- An interactive data base of information on inter-
national arms transfers. We will evaluate primarily
the analytical and presentational software by attempt-
ing to produce "camera-ready" tables directly from
the data base, and to integrate the tables with the
text for our Trade and Aid Branch's annual intelli-
gence handbook called Communist Aid to Less Developed
Countries of the Free World.
-- An interactive system' of petroleum engineering
data.. With this application we will evaluate the
ORACLE software by attempting to build a complex
network of reservoir engineering data for our
Petroleum Supply Analysis Center. We will further
evaluate the presentational software by attempting
to compile complex data input streams Crom.the data
network to drive resource planning models.
4. We have already profited greatly from working with ORD
to get this project started and are anxious to get on with the
work. Please let. me know if there are any problems in starting
work immediately. You should be notified of the funds transfer
shortly.
STATINTL
Chief
Development and Analysis Center
Office of Economic Research
Attachment:
as stated
Approved- For Release 2002/01/2A QA DP$3~,QO?AJLRQ003002200084 ---....,.........-. ,,;,;