[ale] OT: Switch

[JD]

On 05/10/2013 07:51 AM, Boris Borisov wrote:
> http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/155392-international-space-station-switches-from-windows-to-linux-for-improved-reliability
> 
> 

This really isn't that large of a switch. The MCCs around the world have been
using UNIX for decades. Windows PCs were not allowed on the network when I
worked at JSC inside the MCC for shuttle and station operations.

Before the station existed, a few early developers were using some UNIX variant
on i386 hardware to create the station real-time operating environment. At the
time, my computer skills were very different, so I couldn't tell you which OS
was used or even what it was based on - it definitely WAS NOT from Microsoft.
That I am certain.

As far as patching goes.  Don't expect much of that. Systems like this don't get
patched without a very good reason. Basically, if it isn't broken in some way, I
wouldn't patch.  At most, an annual security patch might happen, but I doubt it.
Once a system is labeled as "operational" any changes are avoided.

It isn't like any of these systems are on the internet ... actually, they aren't
even on a NASA LAN/WAN. Rather, there might be a connection from a few select
systems on the ground that are inside the MCC network. That network is not
air-gapped from the internet, but only allows outbound packets of real-time data
with a very selective TTL just for the campus. OTOH, I haven't been there since
'96, so things could be very different.

I worked on the contract to deploy the MCC, workstations and servers world-wide.
 We upgraded everything from the older Masscomp systems to modern networking,
storage, OSes (including 64-bit for all workstations), security. The network
architecture is/was fairly interesting. Heck, almost everything was interesting
on that job.