Review of a New Data Management System for the Social Security Administration (1978) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Appendix: Computer Related Technologies
Appendix: Computer Related Technologies
Pages 64-86
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 64... ...
One alternative is the extensive distribution of both the processing and storage of the information in the system's data base. The distribution would be essentially to the district office level, with 1,200-1,500 data storage and processing sites.
|
From page 65... ...
Based on statistical information and the practical experience of SSA field personnel, provided to the panel during the review, the panel has concluded that there is considerable interchange of information among various district offices. This would require significant processing capability in each one.
|
From page 66... ...
. The panel found that the potential for fraud against the SSA organization would be greater with the distributed concept because of the larger number of personnel who would have intimate access to the processing capability and the storage media in the district offices than the number with access in the central or regional designs.
|
From page 67... ...
XXX XX XXXX 1 XXX-XX -X XX X xxx-xx-xxxx 1 XXX-XX-XXXX xxx xx xxxx 1 xxx-xx -xxx x 1 XXX-XX-XXXX 1 XX X-X X -XX X X XXX-XX-XXXX i xxx xx xxxx 1 xxx-xx -xx x x 1 xxx-xx-xxxx 1 XXX-XX-XXXX Identity Data f Earnings I Data Claims Data Address \ Data | 11 - 1 1 FIGURE 7 SSA Data Base - Asymmetric Segmentation
|
From page 68... ...
An asymmetric data base and configuration would offer great potential to vary the hardware and software configurations. For example, different central processing unit (CPU)
|
From page 69... ...
For example, the identity data must be maintained in a single center within the future process so that single point assignment, control, and management of the identity data can be maintained. Similarly, because of the nature of the earnings data that are filed by the SSA, it may be desirable to maintain the data in an asymmetric way.
|
From page 70... ...
Future technology, including storage devices, will continue to provide alternatives that will need to be considered in the design effort to improve service levels and reduce service costs. As technology improves, the design concept for the direct on-line access to information should be able to accommodate to the technological advances.
|
From page 71... ...
nt :) FIGURE 9 SSA Data Base - Hybrid Segmentation (Asymmetric/Symmetric)
|
From page 72... ...
Thus, the need exists for bubble memories or charge-coupled memories, if they can be produced at suitable levels of performance and cost. A body of thought prevails that computer technology is at a point at which drums or fixed head disks will disappear altogether.
|
From page 73... ...
Auxiliary Storage Much research is being performed on novel auxiliary storage technologies, including magnetic bubbles, charge-coupled devices, laser-holographic devices, and cryogenic devices. Such research will gradually result in the introduction of new types of auxiliary storage subsystems.
|
From page 74... ...
Intermediate storage products such as hard surface and flexible magnetic disks, video disks, electron beam devices, bubble and charge-coupled devices will be available for use in electronic libraries as intermediate storage for on-line access. A number of factors are stimulating the use of these devices: · Low cost processors · Diverse processor architectures o Data sharing among several processors and applications Increasing programming costs Transition problems in changing several system elements simultaneously Hard surface non-removable disks are available with single spindle capacities of 317 megabits (MB)
|
From page 75... ...
The SSA has done a reasonable job of investigating data storage technologies available in the 1980's. For the foreseeable future, a variety of library, intermediate and high-speed storage devices will be available to advance hierarchical, archival on-line storage of data.
|
From page 76... ...
Because the potential exists for innovative approaches leading to decreased on-line storage costs which can make feasible redundant storage of data, analysis of potential design techniques always needs to be made independently of the central processing complexes. Programming .
|
From page 77... ...
Such current programming languages as COBOL and FORTRAN will be enhanced to take advantage of new easier to use features as they appear in subsystems, such as communications and data base management. However, the 1980's are likely to see a shift away from procedural languages toward those that tend to describe a problem rather than state the solution.
|
From page 78... ...
Evolution to this functional pattern will be slow, but the trend is obvious. System Management Software By 1985, say, computer systems should automatically log and report the data needed to control related external activities, including tape and disk library control, external job scheduling, and user accounting and billing.
|
From page 79... ...
The large centralized processing complexes of today will be replaced by very loosely coupled and highly distributed systems that will be used in an on-line fashion, as opposed to the batch and timesharing modes of usage prevalent in current systems. Processing functions that require access to large amounts of shared data or extremely large amounts of specialized processing power will be centralized and available through communications links.
|
From page 80... ...
SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY The increased complexity and improved cost/performance of semiconductor devices have closely paralleled the progress in cost/ performance of computer hardware over the past quarter century. Advances in semiconductor technology will continue to make marked contributions to the evolution of computer system in the decade ahead.
|
From page 81... ...
Attaining higher levels of integration has so far been achieved primarily in three ways: Increasing chip size by reducing the random defects that cause yield losses. Introducing circuit innovations allowing higher function densities.
|
From page 82... ...
FIGURE 10 Integrated Circuit Production Cost YEAR '67 '68 '69 '71 '73 '75 '77 '79 '82 '85 I I I I I I 1 1 ~ 1 1 1 1 1 1 -' Assembled TTL Or Lonic GrouD _ _ _ _ <__ Microprocessor ~ ~ —_ _ _ CUMU LATI VE AEGS (mil lions) 10~ 106 : 107 FIGURE 11 Cost Per Active Element Group For Transistor-Transistor Logic and Microprocessors
|
From page 83... ...
Increases in functional capability, shown in Figure 12, result from increasing the component density on a silicon chip by advances in: · circuit architecture · device structures · processing technology · imaging techniques Further progress will be made in circuit architecture and device structures, but much of the future improvement in AEG's per chip must come from processing and imaging. The 4-bit microprocessor appeared in 1971 and the 8-bit microprocessor was in production two years later.
|
From page 84... ...
1000K-Bit Memory ., 16-Bit Microcomputer. 32K-Bit Memory 970 1 980 YEAR FIGURE 12 Semiconductor Chip Complexity rrc Ice 1K RAM _ ,~5\' ,_ ~ _ ~ / 1~ occults I ._ Svstems1 990 4K~.: ~ _~5 ~~ ~ ~~—Microprocessor _ Microcomputer ,_ _ ' 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 YEAR FIGURE 13 [Distributed Semiconductor Power 05 Cal 1 04 O 1 ....
|
From page 85... ...
The data processing industry was the leading user of microprocessors. As microprocessors have become faster and more powerful, data processing products such as minicomputers, small business computers, terminals and peripheral devices now use large numbers of them.
|
From page 86... ...
86 Microprocessor Application Potential MILLIONS OF MICROPROCESSORS l USED ANNUALLY* PRODUCT LOW HIGH Data Processing Equipment 8 10 Business Equipment 3 4 Consumer Equipment 0 Appliances 20 30 · Audio-Visual Equipment 20 30 · Phones 2 6 ~ Other 4 Transportation Equipment 10 15 Communication Equipment 1 2 Industrial Equipment 1 2 Miscellaneous 1 1 66 104 As microprocessors penetrate the energy-consuming equipment markets, more advanced features will be implemented.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.