Stalemate

[jay]

As of 8pm this evening, my science collaboration simulation project is on standby. The colleague from Simon Fraser University who is responsible for the satellite link from Devon Island back to the Internet told me today that no outside access would be permitted... "no teleoperation of field computers from mainland sites." I have... a teleoperation project. So we wouldn't be able to access our remote computers through their firewall. So no project.

Two weeks before shipping... a complete redesign may be needed. Possibly dumping files into an http directory, setting up an extended VPN, listening at several dedicated ports (mapped to IP addresses or devices)... I'm freezing all travel plans and funds transfers until/unless the firewall issue is resolved. Stalemate.

At least our missing ATV and parts were found today. They had been in a San Jose warehouse for 5 days. I wouldn't recommend ABF Trucking... grr.

Comments

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

Bah! This is a political issue, I presume?

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

In reality? Yes...

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Actually, as I think about it, there is a slim possibility that you might actually know this fellow... he's an expatriate astrophysicist from the UK (possibly even Wales), Stephen Braham.

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

What's theiur reason for not allowing teleoperation if your whole project is to test teleoperation? Seems like throwing out the baby with the bathwater!

Is this some jumped up sysadmin throwing his weight around to make himself feel more important?

Time to go over the head of whoever is causing this problem...

Good luck getting this sorted!

[handslive.livejournal.com]

Worse, this is probably some department (or equivalent) sized policy recently (i.e. in the last 12 months) put in place for "security" reasons. A lot of places have been clamping down on things, sometimes without thinking them through or without considering any compromises.

Sometimes the money stick can be used to wack things into some sense of normalcy, but you have to watch for bruising on both sides.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

With a bureaucracy, I could play politics... but this is from a lone ranger. I have no leverage except funding... which is now on hold.

However, international space politics come into play... this guy is from a Canadian university, trying to leverage his control of network interfaces into a future funding stream for his cash-strapped lab at Simon Fraser. CSA awarded him a grant, but hasn't paid-up yet.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Ostensibly it is to protect the field systems from hackers and net snoopers... within NASA, we've dealt with the risk to our $10M simulation facility by bringing just one computer out into a public network, physically isolated from its brethren. So a guy at a Canadian university is citing NASA security guidelines to prevent NASA from talking to its own equipment in the field.

Motivation... this fellow wants to build a deep-space communications capability for his lab. Without funding, he is trying to impose restrictions on our communications, such that we would become dependent (and hence would have to fund) him in future years. I have gone to the Arctic research facility PI and threatened to withdraw unless these restrictions are relaxed... thanks.

[therealjae.livejournal.com]

God, does this suck. Hope they see the light.

-J

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Thanks... I get to role-play again, this time as a bad-cop, Aahz-like figure...

[technomom]

That sucks. I hope the firewall issue is resolved soon!

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Maybe we can dodge the firewall altogether using a VPN... see hopeforyou's entries...