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December 1991: 12/3/91 (10:30 a.m.) Computer Systems Policy Project Meeting (CSPS) with Darman, Porter, Bromley [Attendance List, Report and Analysis of The Federal Budget by CSPP, Meeting Information] Roosevelt Room
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December 1991: 12/3/91 (10:30 a.m.) Computer Systems Policy Project Meeting (CSPS) with Darman, Porter, Bromley [Attendance List, Report and Analysis of The Federal Budget by CSPP, Meeting Information] Roosevelt Room
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Records pertain to the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
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Records of the Council of Economic Advisors (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Michael J. Boskin Meeting Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
2005-0336-F
2005-0336-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin: Economic Advisers, Council of
Series:
Boskin, Michael, Files
Subseries:
Meeting Files
OA/ID Number:
08066
Folder ID Number:
08066-101
Folder Title:
December 1991: 12/3/91 (10:30 a.m.) Computer Systems Policy Project Meeting (CSPS) with Darman,
Porter, Bromley [Attendance List, Report and Analysis of The Federal Budget by CSPP, Meeting
Information] Roosevelt Room
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
13
24
7
3
To MB
To
Date 9-16-91 Time 3:05
Date
9/16 Aw Time 2:15
allan Bromby
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Documents originally attached to following page.
oct 8th will determine
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Computer
Systems
Policy
Project
June 19, 1991
John Sculley Apple
The Honorable Richard G. Darman
Director
Office of Management and Budget
Joseph R. Canlon Compaq
The Honorable Roger B. Porter
Assistant to the President
for Economic and Domestic Policy
Lawrence Perlman Control Data
The Honorable Michael Boskin
Chairman
Council of Economic Advisors
John A. Rollwagen Cray Research
Dear Gentlemen:
As you will recall, representatives of our Executive Committee met
with you in December 1990, to brief you on the results of the
Kenneth H. Olsen Digital
Computer Systems Policy Project (CSPP) analysis of the federal
R&D investment. In our view, the meeting was extremely
productive and has helped to shape CSPP's technology policy
work since. As you know, we have focused our efforts on high
John A. Young Hewlett-Packard
performance computing and the federal labs.
Your willingness to work with us on these important initiatives is
extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. In an effort to continue
John F. Akers IBM
the dialogue, I am writing to explore the possibility of our Executive
Committee meeting with you again when we come to Washington
for our next meeting on December 3, 1991.
Charles E. Exley, Jr. NCR
We believe that meeting in December, a year after our initial
meeting at the White House, will provide a unique opportunity to
assess our progress on the two projects and to determine the best
way to continue working together. At this point, our schedule for
Scott G. McNealy Sun Microsystems
December 3 is relatively free. We would be available to meet any
time between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
James G. Treybig Tandem
Sincerely,
James A. Unruh Unisys
John John A. Young
michelle 4-17-91 will call
Chairman, CSPP
back re lunchean
CC:
Harry Broadman
netg. anw
KENNETH R. KAY, Executive Director
1735 New York Avenue, NW Suite 500
Washington, DC 20006
202 628-1700 (Fax) 202 331-1024
Computer
Systems
Policy
Project
John Sculley Apple
Joseph R. Canion Compaq
June 19, 1991
Lawrence Perlman Control Data
The Honorable Michael Boskin
Chairman
Council of Economic Advisors
John A. Rollwagen Cray Research
Old Executive Office Building
17th & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Kenneth H. Olsen Digital
Dear Mike:
I thought you might be interested to see a copy of the enclosed
letter concerning computer exports to China which was forwarded
John A. Young Hewlett-Packard
on June 14, 1991, from the CEOs of the Computer Systems Policy
Project (CSPP) to President Bush.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please
John F. Akers IBM
feel free to call Ken Kay our executive director at (202) 662-8440.
Charles E. Exley, Jr. NCR
Sincerely,
Scott G. McNealy Sun Microsystems
Joh Chairman, CSPP
John A. Young
James G. Treybig Tandem
Enclosure
James A. Unruh Unisys
KENNETH R. KAY, Executive Director
1735 New York Avenue, NW Suite 500
Washington, DC 20006
202 628-1700 (Fax) 202 331-1024
Computer
of
Systems
Policy
Project
John Sculley Apple
June 14, 1991
Joseph R. Canion Compaq
Lawrence Periman Control Data
The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
John A. Rollwagen Cray Research
Dear Mr. President:
We congratulate you on the successful completion of your
Kenneth H. Olsen Digital
initiative to streamline export controls by reducing the size
of the COCOM control list. The new "Core List" should
significantly enhance the competitiveness of U.S. products
in the international market without compromising our
John A. Young Hewlett-Packard
national security.
The Computer Systems Policy Project (CSPP), representing
eleven major American computer companies that develop,
John F. Akers IBM
build and market information processing systems, is
concerned, however, by your decision to impose new
unilateral restrictions on the export of U.S. computers to the
Peoples Republic of China (PRC). While we fully support
Charles E. Exley, Jr. NCR
international export controls necessary to protect national
security, we are concerned that unilateral controls could
damage the marketing position of U.S. computer companies
in China, many of whom have been encouraged to develop
Scott G. McNeaiy Sun Microsystems
this market by the U.S. government. Our competitors in
other COCOM countries, like Japan, would have no similar
restrictions.
James G. Treybig Tandem
Therefore, we request that you defer implementing any
change in export policy toward the PRC pending a thorough
discussion between your Administration and the computer
industry of the economic implications of your decision.
James A. Unruh Unisys
KENNETH R. KAY. Executive Director
1735 New York Avenue. NW Suite 500
Washington. DC 20006
202 628-1700 (Fax) 202 331-1024
The President
June 14, 1991
Page 2
Sincerely,
J.Suley Chairman, President & CEO
Rod camin
Rod Canion
CEO
Apple
Compaq
Lowave Palmon
Lawrence Perlman
President & CEO
Sam John Chairman A. Rollwagen & CEO
Control Data
Cray Research
Digital President Kennth H. Olsen U Adv John President Hewlett-Packard A. Young & Zary CEO
Jan John F. Akers ahm
CEALL Q
Charles E. Exley, Jr.
Chairman
Chairman & CEO
IBM
NCR
Chairman, 100mg President & CEO
Scott McNealy
James James G. Treybig
President & CEO
Sun Microsystems
Tandem Computers
Johnnah
James E. Unruh
Chairman & CEO
Unisys
12/03/91
07:29
OMB PRESS OFFICE
001
DEC 02 1991 11:21 FROM PRESTON ROUVELAS MEEDS
TO
3957298
P.02
MEETING WITH DARMAN, BOSKIN, PORTER, BROMLEY, MOORE
DECEMBER 3, 1991 - 10:30 A.M. MEETING
CSPP PARTICIPANTS
CEOs -
John Sculley
April 6, 1939
080-32-0711
Apple Computer, Inc.
Robert Allen
Jan. 25, 1935
317-30-0402
AT&T
Eckhard Pfeiffer
Aug. 20, 1941
449-53-6551
Compaq Computer Corporation
John Rollwagen
Nov. 20, 1940
470-42-6961
Cray Research, Inc.
Ronald Skates
Sept. 25, 1941
490-42-3121
Data General Corporation
Kenneth Olsen
Feb. 20, 1926
045-20-8275
Digital Equipment Corporation
John A. Young
April 24, 1932
543-32-2111
Hewlett-Packard Company
James G. Treybig
Sept. 28, 1940
467-58-8657
Tandem Computers, Inc,
James Unruh
March 21, 1941
501-44-8617
Unisys Corporation
Others -
must
Samuel H. Fuller
June 1, 1946
362-50-1540
Digital Equipment Corporation
Jerry Brost
March 11, 1946
501-48-6977
Cray Research, Inc.
Jim Johnson
July 7, 1938
580-50-5091
Apple Computer, Inc.
Piper Cole
Dec. 24, 1946
330-40-5614
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Ken Kay
Nov. 16. 1951
117-36-4650
CSPP
Flona Branton
Dec. 23, 1958
209-50-2051
CSPP
Computer
Systems
Policy
Project
John Sculley Apple
Robert E. Allen AT&T
Eckhard Pfeiffer Compaq
Lawrence Perlman Control Data
THE FEDERAL HPCCI BUDGET
FOR FY '92:
John A. Rollwagen Cray Research
ACHIEVING BETTER BALANCE
Ronald L. Skates Data General
Kenneth H. Olsen Digital
John A. Young Hewlett-Packard
AN ANALYSIS BY THE
John F. Akers IBM
COMPUTER SYSTEMS POLICY PROJECT
DECEMBER 3, 1991
Scott G. McNealy Sun Microsystems
James G. Treybig Tandem
James A. Unruh Unisys
KENNETH R. KAY, Executive Director
1735 New York Avenue, NW Suite 500
Washington, DC 20006
202 628-1700 (Fax) 202 331-1024
THE FEDERAL HPCCI BUDGET FOR FY '92:
ACHIEVING BETTER BALANCE
AN ANALYSIS BY CSPP
The current Administration program is divided into four primary components: High
Performance Computing Systems, Advanced Software Technology and Algorithms,
National Research and Education Network, and Basic Research and Human Resources.
In general, CSPP believes the research planned under the HPCCI will address
fundamental technology areas important to providing the foundation for a world-class
high performance computing and communications infrastructure in the United States.
However, CSPP believes that by re-focusing some of the current priorities, the relevance
of the program to the private sector can be maximized, thereby increasing the likelihood
that its goals will be successfully achieved in the near future.
To analyze the Administration's current budget plan, CSPP formed four working
groups -- one to correspond with each program component. During the last six months,
each CSPP working group has had a series of internal discussions and meetings with
agency representatives, and has reviewed more detailed agency program plans where
available. The following summarizes CSPP's specific recommendations for shifting
budget priorities to create a more balanced program for the future.
A.
HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING SYSTEMS (HPCS) -- The goal of this
component is to develop the underlying technology required for scalable parallel
computing systems capable of sustaining trillions of operations per second. The
Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA) is coordinating R&D under the
component; additional major agency participants include NSF, DOE and NASA.
The FY92 proposed budget is $156.8 million, which is 25% of the total initiative
amount. Generally speaking, the incremental funds for FY92 and beyond will be
focused on research in and work on experimental and prototype massively
parallel systems, not for purchase of production machines.
CSPP believes the focus should be broadened to include more than massively
parallel systems. We recommend expanding the HPCS focus to include research
and work on parallel vector, heterogeneous and other high performance
computing architectures. This will ensure a broad range of computing platforms
needed to solve a wider range of Grand Challenges.
B.
ADVANCED SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY AND ALGORITHMS (ASTA) -- The
goal for this group is to develop generic software technology and algorithms for
research applications to realize the performance potential of high performance
computing systems in a networked environment. The coordinating agency is
NASA; other major players include DARPA, NSF, and DOE. The FY92 budget
proposal is $265.1 million, or 41% of the initiative. CSPP recommends the
following to improve the effectiveness of the ASTA program:
1.
In general, the ASTA program targets the research areas and technology
challenges critical to enable successful implementation of the HPCCI.
1
DARPA, DOE, NASA, and NSF are focusing their research on advancing
technology in compilers, tools, computing environments, languages, data
management, operating systems, user interfaces, and visualization, with an
emphasis on developing software systems and applications that will take
advantage of massively parallel systems and databases. However, it
appears that a disproportionately small amount of the budget allocated to
the ASTA program will actually be expended on research in these areas.
Instead, a relatively large percentage of the ASTA funding will go to
purchasing new equipment and computers and to supporting computer
centers. CSPP recommends that the government investigate whether some
of these funds can be shifted toward urgently needed software research,
perhaps by using or improving existing facilities. New facilities should be
funded only if the other options are not possible.
2.
The software library included in the NASA and DARPA programs is a
potentially important and useful mechanism for sharing new software
developments among the agencies and the private sector. CSPP urges the
government to ensure that this program is given high priority, including
ensuring the library is easily accessible to a large community of users and
industry.
3.
The government should ensure that private standards organizations, such
as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), continue to play a
lead role in developing standards for parallel processing as well as the
software library.
4.
Research on both improving the technologies needed to recognize
parallelization opportunities in existing programs and using those
technologies for parallel applications, as well as recoding existing programs
for parallel applications, are essential to success in high performance
computing. It is not clear, based on our review, which strategies the
agencies are pursuing in the ASTA program.
5.
It appears that the ASTA program emphasizes massively parallel
architectures to the extent that other architectures are not being explored
adequately. The program should have a balanced emphasis on different
types of technologies to meet a wide variety of computing needs, including
both tightly coupled and loosely coupled parallel and heterogenous
configurations, including networks of high performance workstations.
6.
The mechanisms for transferring the technology developed under HPCCI,
and especially for transferring advances in software and applications under
ASTA, are not clear, and, at best, appear uncoordinated among agencies.
The government should consider designating a lead agency for ensuring
that the technology developed under the ASTA program is made available
to the private sector in a coordinated manner and in a form that is useful
to industry. CSPP recognizes that the most effective transfer of technology
2
occurs through direct interaction among researchers and technologists.
Accordingly, we recommend allocating as large a proportion of the funding
as practicable to collaborative efforts, such as joint research through
Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and
ensuring that industry is aware of research opportunities in HPCCI. CSPP
is willing to work with the government to develop appropriate mechanisms
for working together.
C.
NATIONAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION NETWORK (NREN) -- The goal is
to develop a national high speed network to provide distributed computing
capability to research and educational institutions and to further advanced
research on very high speed networks and applications. The lead agency is NSF;
funding proposed for FY92 is $91.9 million, or 14% of the initiative. NSF's share
of the total FY92 NREN funding will be used primarily to support the continued
growth of a strong and flexible interim network. The primary activity under this
effort will be the continuing upgrade of the existing internet, including the
NSFnet backbone, the regional and midlevel networking structure, and various
government agency networks. Gradually, funds will be shifted away from direct
support by NSF of physical networks in favor of existing and developing
commercial networks and services which compete according to natural market
forces. NSF will focus on ensuring network architecture and protocol
harmonization to guarantee pervasive end user and application connectivity and
interoperability as part of their base programs. Additionally, NSF will use a
percentage of its funding (less than 20%) to support new and important initiatives
in the areas of network services (e.g. networked libraries), attachment of K-12
institutions, and network research and development including gigabit networking
research. Finally, NSF has been designated as the lead agency for the NREN
program and will soon have dedicated resources in place to coordinate and
manage the program.
DARPA's focus will be on research and development projects in the area of
multimedia gigabit networking technologies and systems. DARPA's primary goal
will be to pursue these projects in the context of serving the research needs of the
Department of Defense. DARPA appears reluctant to engage with industry in
goal and priority setting but is open to active collaboration where DARPA and
industry goals coincide.
The projects and goals to be pursued with NREN funding in the remaining
governmental agencies are not yet well defined. There will likely be some focus
on establishing or upgrading the individual agencies' networks or network
attachments. There will also be a drive toward developing various mission
specific applications that can leverage high speed networks. It is extremely
important that these activities be coordinated with NSF and DARPA to ensure
that there is no unnecessary duplication of effort and an appropriate leveraging of
projects and funds.
3
CSPP has the following recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the
NREN program.
1. CSPP agrees with designating NSF as the lead agency for the NREN program.
2.
The NREN program must be well coordinated and managed across the
various government agencies to ensure there is no unnecessary duplication
of effort, particularly in the R&D for gigabit networking technologies.
3.
The records of proceedings and planning documents from meetings of the
various NREN coordinating committees should be made generally
available within both government and the private sector.
4.
The government should work to ensure ubiquitous access to NREN by all
government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels, by the
American research and education communities, and by the library
community.
5.
A vehicle should be established for industry participation in the goal
setting and prioritization of the various components of the NREN
program. Several vehicles currently exist: NSF has named a full-time
NREN coordinator to focus on the day-to-day coordination and
management of the program; the Federal Networking Council (FNC)
coordinates actions by government agencies; and the Federal Networking
Advisory Committee (FNAC) is a forum for industry participation. In
addition, the Internet Advisory Board (IAB) and the Internet Engineering
Task Force (IETF) provide vehicles for technical coordination between
governmental agencies, industry, and the scientific community. However,
the existence of these organizations is just a first step. First, it is
important that their existence, as well as records of their proceedings, be
made generally known throughout the government and private sector.
Second, it is critical that these organizations and individuals are held
accountable to an overall HPCCI management body. Further, DARPA
should be encouraged to actively participate in industry-government efforts
to set NREN goals and priorities.
6.
To ensure successful operation of a network that is now and will continue
to be made up of many different networks and protocols, CSPP
recommends that efforts under the NREN program focus on
interoperability and harmonization of standards.
7.
Significant administrative emphasis should be placed on acquiring services
within the framework of this interconnected system and making all the
services of each component of the system available to the broadest
community possible.
4
8.
R&D under the NREN component should promote strong interaction
between the telecommunications and computing industries in pursuit of
technologies needed to support an emerging high speed multimedia
information and communications infrastructure, including the high
performance computing systems that will use that infrastructure. The
testbed programs currently funded by DARPA and NSF provide a first
step toward these goals. Moreover, these projects cover R&D across a
broad range of gigabit networking areas including wide area networks,
metropolitan area networks, local area networks, and attachment of high
performance computing systems. The Administration should work with
interested private sector parties to insure that a balance is drawn between
promising independent basic research, research focused on local
implementations of gigabit systems, and "test-bed" systems.
9.
CSPP endorses use of NREN funding to address issues surrounding
privatization and commercialization of the NREN.
D.
BASIC RESEARCH AND HUMAN RESOURCES (BRHR) -- This component
provides support for individual investigators and multidisciplinary long term
research; initiation of activity to significantly increase the pool of trained
personnel; and support for efforts leading to accelerated technology transition.
The FY92 budget proposal is $124.5 million, 20% of the initiative; NSF and
DARPA are the major contributors. The BRHR activities are crucial to the
success of the HPCCI. Accordingly, OMB and the participating agencies should
give these activities a high priority in making budget decisions. Further, the base
programs in high performance computing and communications research and
infrastructure must be maintained and built upon; the incremental funding
proposed for FY92 must remain truly incremental to be effective. The overall
funding levels and plans for accomplishing BRHR goals seem reasonable for
FY92. The breakdown among subcomponents -- basic research, research
participation and training, infrastructure, and education, training and curriculum -
- also seems reasonable. However, the agencies have not yet articulated clear
goals or objectives for the incremental funding in a form in which measures of
success can be effectively developed. CSPP will work with the government to
help articulate specific goals and success measures for this component based on
the goals we would like the HPCCI achieve.
5
Computer
Systems
Policy
Project
December 2, 1991
John Sculley Apple
BY HAND DELIVERY
Robert E. Allen AT&T
The Honorable Michael J. Boskin
Chairman
Council of Economic Advisors
Old Executive Office Builing
Eckhard Pfeiffer Compaq
17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Room 314
Washington, D.C. 20500
Lawrence Perlman Control Data
Dear Chairman Boskin:
On behalf of the CEOs of the Computer Systems Policy Project
(CSPP), I thank you in advance for taking the time to meet with us
John A. Rollwagen Cray Research
tomorrow, December 3. In preparation for our meeting, I have
enclosed a copy of CSPP's report and video Expanding the Vision
of High Performance Computing and Communications: Linking
America for the Future.
Ronald L. Skates Data General
As you know, this report and video will be formally released to the
Administration, Congress and the press tomorrow, December 3.
Kenneth H. Olsen Digital
I hope you find this material interesting and informative. We look
forward to discussing it with you further at tomorrow's meeting.
Sincerely,
John A. Young Hewlett-Packard
Ke Key
Kenneth R. Kay
Executive Director
John F. Akers IBM
Enclosure
Scott G. McNealy Sun Microsystems
CC: Harry Broadman
James G. Treybig Tandem
James A. Unruh Unisys
KENNETH R. KAY, Executive Director
1735 New York Avenue, NW Suite 500
Washington, DC 20006
202 628-1700 (Fax) 202 331-1024
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20500
THE CHAIRMAN
September 5, 1991
Dear Mr. Perlman:
Thank you very much for your letter of April 2, 1991, which
responds to a request I made at the December 14, 1990 meeting
with the Computer Systems Policy Project (CSPP). Unfortunately,
the staff member whom I had assigned to develop the analysis here
left in the middle of May, and Kenneth Kay's letter of July 23
arrived just as his replacement arrived. Let me assure you,
however, that I read your letter carefully and have been thinking
about the issues it raises and your proposals.
The question I posed to the CSPP at the December meeting
was whether there are unnecessary rules or procedural barriers
encountered by CSPP member companies that inhibit
commercialization of new technologies that result from
government-sponsored and/or funded research? Your letter
identifies four potential problem areas, which I understand draw
from CSPP members' experiences, as well as policy
recommendations. While many of the policy recommendations you
suggest are promising, more information is needed to develop the
options in greater detail. To ensure the rules adopted are
indeed solutions to the problems you have identified and do not
have unsuspected effects we need to test out how they would work
in particular situations. To that end, it would be extremely
helpful to have for each of the generic barriers your survey has
produced several specific examples (or case studies) based on
experience. It is my hope that the CSPP would be willing to
undertake this extension of the analysis.
I have asked the newly-arrived Member-Designate, David
Bradford, to work on this issue with my Special Assistant, Harry
Broadman, and have instructed them to place this topic on the
fall agenda of the Science and Technology Working Group of the
2
Economic Policy Council. Dr. Bradford will make sure your
original letter is distributed to the members of the Working
Group. I am confident that the more detailed assessment I
recommend above would prove enormously useful to the Working
Group.
I look forward to hearing further from you.
Sincerely,
Muharl J.
Michael J. Boskin
Mr. Lawrence Perlman
President and Chief Executive Officer
Control Data
Box 0
8100 34th Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440
CC: Richard Darman, OMB
Allan Bromley, OSTP
John Akers, IBM
John A. Young, Hewlett Packard
Computer
Systems
Policy
BY HAND DELIVERY
Project
John Sculley Apple
July 23, 1991
Joseph R. Canlon Compaq
Mr. Harry G. Broadman
Special Assistant to the Chairman and Senior Economist
Council of Economic Advisors
Old Executive Office Building
Room 314
Lawrence Perlman Control Data
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Harry:
John A. Rollwagen Cray Research
At the meeting between Michael Boskin, Richard Darman, Roger
Porter and the CEOs of the Computer Systems Policy Project
(CSPP), Chairman Boskin raised a question about the difficulties
our member companies encounter when attempting to
Kenneth H. Olsen Digital
commercialize technology which has resulted from government
sponsored and/or funded research. Lawrence Perlman, CEO of
Control Data Corporation, responded to that question in a letter
which was sent to Michael Boskin on April 2, 1991.
John A. Young Hewlett-Packard
Since that time, CSPP has not received any acknowledgement of
that letter from Chairman Boskin's office. For your reference, I
have enclosed a copy of the Perlman letter. I would appreciate it if
John F. Akers IBM
you could make sure that the letter was in fact received. If there
are any substantive reactions to the letter we would of course be
interested in them.
Charles E. Exley, Jr. NCR
I thank you for your assistance. I look forward to hearing from
you soon.
Sincerely,
Scott G. McNealy Sun Microsystems
Kan
Kenneth R. Kay
James G. Treybig Tandem
Executive Director
James A. Unruh Unisys
Enclosure
KENNETH R. KAY, Executive Director
1735 New York Avenue, NW Suite 500
Washington, DC 20006
202 628-1700 (Fax) 202 331-1024
CONTRACT
8100 34th Avenue South
Lawrence Periman
Mailing Address/Box 0
President are Chief Executive Officer
Minneapolis. MN 55440 ,
612/853-5283
FAX 612/853-7272
April 2, 1991
The Honorable Michael J. Boskin
Chairman, Council of Economic Advisors
Old Executive Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Dr. Boskin:
During your December 14 meeting with the Computer Systems Policy
Project (CSPP) you asked, among other things, whether our
industry has difficulties in commercially applying technology
developed with government funding or participation (particularly
the Department of Defense). I have asked the CSPP members about
their experiences in this area. This letter reflects those
findings and recommends actions that the White House could take
to encourage greater commercial application of government
technology.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
Over the last decade, Congress and the Executive branch have
clearly recognized the benefits of closer cooperation in research
and development between the private and public sectors. Passage
of the 1986 Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA) codified the
government's intent to encourage such cooperation. Moreover,
President Reagan's Executive Order 12591 (1987), implementing and
augmenting the FTTA with specific orders to federal agencies, set
forth some very important directives. These include an order to
develop a uniform federal policy to pass rights in federally
developed technology to the private sector for commercialization,
subject only to royalty-free use by or on behalf of the
government.
While the Department of Commerce deserves special mention for its
efforts to support the FTTA and the Executive Order,
implementation by other federal agencies and laboratories has
been uneven. Substantial cultural biases and practices both in
industry and government agencies/laboratories have dampened
enthusiasm for these important initiatives. Substantial work is
required in both the public and private sectors to realize the
objectives envisioned by the President and Congress in their
actions.
We are committed to redoubling our efforts as demonstrated by our
CSPP working group which is developing recommendations to foster
cooperation between our industry and federal laboratories. We
urge the White House to encourage a greater commitment by federal
1
agencies/laboratories to implement the spirit and the word of the
FTTA and Executive Order 12591. This effort should include using
the budget process to encourage federal laboratories to more
aggressively pursue cooperative agreements with private industry.
Progress toward achieving those agreements should be measured,
and funding tied to its success. In addition, the White House
should encourage expanded use of a merit system within federal
laboratories to reward researchers and laboratory managers for
successful implementation of industry cooperative programs which
develop and transfer commercially beneficial technology. This
might include a program for Presidential recognition of
individuals who most successfully support commercialization of
government technology.
PROCUREMENT
Our mutual efforts in the area of FTTA implementation will
require supplemental action in areas of technology transfer and
the treatment of intellectual property rights growing out of
contractual relationships governed by federal procurement laws
and regulations.
As you know, rules and practices governing technology transfer
and treatment of intellectual property rights created in the
execution of a federal contract vary substantially from agency to
agency. In itself, such inconsistency poses great challenges for
industry and leads to confusion. We recommend, therefore, action
to achieve greater uniformity in those rules and practices within
and across federal government agencies.
Generally, and again with some important agency exceptions, when
a contractor makes a discovery in the performance of work on a
federally-funded project the contractor holds title to that
invention. However, the federal government retains unlimited
rights to the technical data created under the contract in
support of the invention, and limited rights in the contractor's
proprietary background technical data used by the contractor in
development of the invention. When the proprietary background
data cannot be readily separated from the technical data produced
in the project, the government obtains unlimited rights to the
proprietary background data as well, and can provide that
background data -- together with the technical data created in
competitors. the project -- to anyone, including domestic or international
While the ability of the contractor to hold title to patent
rights is critical, the inability of the contractor to protect
associated technical data is a major inhibitor to any contractor
who may wish to commercialize the invention. For competitive
exploitation, the technical data is often much more valuable and
useful than the patent per se. Knowing that any competitor may
gain access to the contractor's proprietary background technical
2
data ensures against any substantial new investment required for
commercialization.
Moreover, unless the contractor can either own or gain an
exclusive license to such technical data for commercial use, the
value of the incorporated background data is severely eroded once
the new technical data is made available by the federal
government. Such a policy clearly discourages companies from
providing their most valuable -- and perhaps most useful --
technical data to federal projects.
Thus, we strongly recommend that, except in cases essential to
protect national security, technical data rights developed under
federal contracts or through federal funding in cooperative
Ventures be owned by the contractor subject to a grant of a
non-exclusive, royalty free license to the government to use the
technical data for public, non-commercial purposes. We also
recommend that a prohibition be adopted to prevent granting of
unlimited rights in background data.
Another issue requiring attention is sole ownership, or joint
ownership, by the government of intellectual property rights
resulting from inventions by federal employees in the course of
contractual work with the private sector. When such rights are
created, the government generally may -- to promote
commercialization -- elect to transfer title of that intellectual
property right to the private sector contractor. However, unless
a mechanism is established to protect related technical data from
dissemination to commercial competitors, the same exposures exist
that are described above. We would be willing to work with the
government to explore appropriate mechanisms that would afford
such protection.
While commercialization of intellectual property rights created
by either public or private sector employees is best achieved by
the private sector, some federal agencies have demonstrated great
reluctance to transfer title to those rights, opting rather to
license rights in exchange for royalties. Few investors would
devote substantial sums to a project where both the intellectual
property rights and technical data needed to exploit them could
be made available to anyone approaching the federal government,
including foreign competitors.
We, therefore, recommend that the government -- as expeditiously
as possible -- transfer the patent rights and technical data to
the contractor who brought substantial knowledge and expertise
into the federal project. A less optimal solution would be a
mandate that any license for commercial purposes must be
exclusive, and that associated technical data be guided by the
same policy.
3
RECOUPMENT
In some cases, the federal government may seek recovery of its
costs in a project, insisting on payment for transfer of title or
through royalty payments for retained rights. Payment of
royalties could subject the private sector contractor to
extremely cumbersome record keeping requirements that could
might offer.
substantially detract from any commercial appeal the technology
Alternatively, payment for transfer of title would provide
incentive to federal employees to focus their attention on
commercially relevant discoveries. It could provide a reward to
the government developer without subjecting the contractor to
cumbersome tracking of commercial transactions.
We recommend, therefore, that to the extent direct recovery of
costs is deemed necessary, OMB initiate an effort to develop
recovery guidelines which:
-- Do not discourage commercial development of government
funded technology.
-- Limit recovery to no more than the amount of government
funds actually expended to create the technology. The
recovery amount should be equitable; it should not be
so high or under such terms that commercialization is
precluded; and it should reflect the benefits
government received for its investment and for which it
should legitimately pay.
-- Require all federal agencies pursuing recovery to
phase. assert their rights early in the technology development
-- Reduce record keeping requirements. If a royalty
formula is elected, record requirements should be no
more burdensome than those normally imposed in private
sector royalty licenses.
CLASSIFICATION
We also urge a renewed focus on preventing overclassification of
information. It is important that the label of "sensitive
information" only be applied to legitimately sensitive
technology, rather than to technology that an agency simply is
reluctant to transfer and therefore classifies as "sensitive."
We recommend the White House consider mechanisms to ensure the
proper classification of technological information and to explore
misclassified. processes for review of information which is believed to be
4
Working together, we believe that information created in the
course of federal contracts or through other cooperative
arrangements such as those envisioned in FTTA can be extremely
helpful in bolstering U.S. industrial competitiveness. Your
questions have identified an area of great opportunity, and
through a discrete set of administrative actions, President Bush
can have a substantial, beneficial impact on strengthening U.S. .
industry. As we gather additional information through our
on-going work, we look forward to a continued dialogue.
Sincerely,
James Derhman
Lawrence Perlman
CC: Mr. John F. !kers
The Honorable D. Allan Bromley
The Honorable Richard G. Darman
The Honorable Robert A. Mosbacher, Sr.
The Honorable Robert M. White
Mr. John A. Young
HP
5
Expanding the Vision of High Performance
Computing and Communications:
Linking America for the Future
IN SON
SHR
A Report by
The Computer Systems Policy Project
December 3, 1991
Computer
Systems
Policy
Project
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
The photos and images used in this report illustrate how high performance computing and
communications could solve problems motivated by social and economic needs in areas of
interest to the government and general public. This includes, for example, advances in the
delivery of health care and services for senior citizens; improvements in education and
opportunities for lifelong learning; enhanced industrial design and intelligent manufacturing
technologies; and broad access to public and private databases, electronic mail and other
unique resources.
1.
Courtesy of Hewlett-Packard Company.
2.
Joseph H. Baily©, National Geographic Society.
3.
Courtesy of IBM Corporation. Photo by Ron Sherman.
4.
Courtesy of Apple Computer, Inc.
5.
The U.S. map suggests how a broad information and communications infrastructure
could bring the benefits of high performance computing to all Americans. Image from
CSPP video on high performance computing and communications. Image edited by
Susan Davis.
6.
William Farrand, SeniorNet™ member. Photo by Wesley Wong.
7.
Courtesy of Sun Microsystems.
8.
Courtesy of Hewlett-Packard Company.
9.
Courtesy of Cray Research.
Expanding the Vision of High Performance
Computing and Communications:
Linking America for the Future
A Report by
the Computer Systems Policy Project
December 3, 1991
Executive Summary
Over the past year, the Computer Systems Policy Project (CSPP), an affiliation of major U.S.
computer systems companies, has reviewed the Administration's High Performance
Computing and Communications Initiative (HPCCI), as outlined in Grand Challenges: High
Performance Computing and Communications. CSPP believes the HPCCI is a significant,
critical and necessary undertaking by the government. As currently designed, the HPCCI will
advance research in high performance computing and networking technologies as well as
increase the use of high performance computers to solve a range of scientific and engineering
"Grand Challenges" problems whose solutions are critical to national needs. CSPP
believes, however, that the HPCCI can provide the foundation for something even more
important: a new national infrastructure to promote America's growth in the 21st century and
beyond.
Today, high performance computing and high speed networks are being used at an increasing
rate in a wide variety of scientific, engineering, academic, and business settings. The
potential benefits of these technologies, however, extend far beyond this country's
laboratories, universities, businesses, and supercomputer centers. High performance
computing, in conjunction with widely accessible high-speed networks, offers exciting new
opportunities to improve the quality of life for all Americans.
To make the most of federal and private research investments in the HPCCI, however, the
software, hardware, and networking technologies being developed must be based on the
broadest possible vision of what high performance computing and communications can make
possible in the future. This requires expanding the current vision of the HPCCI to include
Grand Challenges motivated by social and economic needs in areas of interest to the
government and general public, such as advances in the delivery of health care and services
for senior citizens; improvements in education and opportunities for lifelong learning;
enhanced industrial design and intelligent manufacturing technologies; and broad access to
public and private databases, electronic mail and other unique resources.
As a major user of computers, the government is appropriately investing in advanced
computer technology research through the HPCCI. By leveraging these investments, the
government can develop more broadly applicable generic, enabling technologies and stimulate
the additional research by the private sector needed to solve the expanded Grand Challenges.
CSPP strongly believes the HPCCI program will have maximum benefit to the country only if
the government collaborates more closely with industry and supports the broader vision of the
HPCCI; advances the technologies to meet that vision; and implements a stronger
management approach. To accomplish this, CSPP recommends the following changes to the
current initiative:
Expand the vision of the HPCCI and include research on generic, enabling
technologies to support a wider range of applications;
Establish a technology and policy foundation for an information and
communications infrastructure for the future;
Improve management and governance of the initiative and increase
opportunities for industry participation; and
Reorder HPCCI budget priorities to achieve a more balanced program.
Working together, the government, industry, and the broader science and technology
community can construct an HPCCI program that will contribute to our nation's ability to
meet many of the science, engineering, economic and social challenges we face. In addition,
by cooperating, we can ensure a better return on the federal R&D investment; promote
increased industry investment; and generate productive collaboration between industry,
academia, and government.
Computer
Systems
Policy
Project
John Sculley Apple
Robert E. Allen AT&T
The Computer Systems Policy Project
Eckhard Pfeiffer Compaq
The Computer Systems Policy Project (CSPP) is an affiliation of Chief
Lawrence Perlman Control Data
Executive Officers of American computer companies that develop, build
and market information processing systems and related software and
services. CSPP was formed in 1989 to provide the CEOs of the
industry with a forum to discuss, develop, and advocate public policy
John A. Rollwagen Cray Research
positions on trade and technology issues critical to the computer
systems industry and country.
Additional copies of this report, along with a complementary video, are
Ronald L. Skates Data General
available for $20. For more information, please contact:
The Computer Systems Policy Project
1735 New York Avenue, N.W.
Kenneth H. Olsen Digital
Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20006
John A. Young Hewlett-Packard
Telephone: (202) 628-1700
Fax:
(202) 331-1024
MCI Mail: 4921488 @ MCIMAIL.COM
X.400:
John F. Akers IBM
C=US/A=MCI/S=CSPP/D=ID=4921488
Scott G. McNealy Sun Microsystems
James G. Treybig Tandem
James A. Unruh Unisys
KENNETH R. KAY, Executive Director
1735 New York Avenue, NW Suite 500
Washington, DC 20006
202 628-1700 (Fax) 202 331-1024
Table of Contents
Introduction: Linking America for the Future
1
HPCCI: Providing the Foundation
2
HPCCI: Expanding the Vision
3
Better Health Care and Medical Services
4
Lifelong Learning
5
Improved Services for Senior Citizens, the Disabled, and Housebound
6
Enhanced Industrial Design and Intelligent Manufacturing Technology
7
Broad Access to Public and Private Databases, Electronic Mail, and
Other Unique Resources
8
Recommendation #1:
Expand the Vision of the HPCCI and Include Research on Generic, Enabling
Technologies to Solve a Wider Range of Grand Challenges
9
Recommendation #2:
Establish a Technology and Policy Foundation for an Information and
Communications Infrastructure for the Future
11
Recommendation #3:
Improve Management and Governance of the Initiative and
Increase Opportunities for Industry Participation
13
Recommendation #4:
Reorder HPCCI Budget Priorities to Achieve a More Balanced Program
14
INTRODUCTION
Linking America for the Future
During the growth of the Industrial Age, America built national transportation links to move
people, goods, and raw materials across increasingly greater distances. Just as these interstate
highways were crucial to our post-war development, national data links are necessary for
growth in the 21st century and beyond. As the United States enters the Information Age, a
new national infrastructure is required.
Today, high performance computing is increasingly used in a wide variety of scientific,
engineering, academic, and business settings. The potential benefits, however, extend far
beyond these current uses. In conjunction with high-speed networks, high performance
computing could be the new national infrastructure, offering virtually unlimited opportunities
to solve challenges and improve efficiency in ways which directly affect the lives and well-
being of all Americans. Among the opportunities are:
better health care;
lifelong learning;
improved services for senior citizens, the disabled, and the housebound;
enhanced industrial design and intelligent manufacturing technology; and
broad access to public and private databases, electronic mail, and other unique
resources.
Realizing these opportunities requires harnessing the collective energy, talents, and unique
resources of industry, academia, the general public, and the federal government. By
enhancing the ability of all Americans to better communicate, share resources and exchange
information, the HPCCI can promote a new national infrastructure -- potentially the most
powerful tool our nation has ever had to bolster its international economic position and long-
term national well-being.
Over the last nine months, the Computer Systems Policy Project (CSPP), an affiliation of
chief executives of twelve leading American computer companies, has begun to define this
broader vision of high performance computing and communications. If followed, the
recommendations offered in this report could help establish the new national infrastructure
that would bring the benefits of high performance computing and communications to
individual Americans.
1
HPCCI
Providing the Foundation
In February, 1991, as part of its budget submission to Congress, the Bush Administration
released Grand Challenges: High Performance Computing and Communications, summarizing
its High Performance Computing and Communications Initiative (HPCCI), a cross-agency
research program on computing and networking technologies. The HPCCI is designed to
advance research in high performance computing and networking technologies as well as
increase the use of high performance computers to solve a range of scientific and engineering
"Grand Challenges" -- problems whose solutions are critical to national needs.
CSPP fully supports the goals of the HPCCI and the Administration's program described in
Grand Challenges, and commends the Administration for its leadership in designing this
important initiative. Similarly, CSPP commends Congress for funding the initiative in Fiscal
Year 1992, and for recent legislation that would establish a high performance computing
program and National Research and Education Network.
In addition to helping the U.S. maintain its worldwide lead in high performance computing,
the HPCCI will lead to specific critical developments in areas such as:
improving the accuracy of weather forecasts;
identifying and analyzing cancer-causing genes;
finding new ways to reduce air pollution; and
increasing the efficiency of internal combustion engines.
Just as important, however, the HPCCI has the potential to benefit the nation much more
broadly by driving important advancements in technologies and policies that will make
possible a wide range of future high performance computing and communications
applications.
2
HPCCI
Expanding the Vision
CSPP believes expanding the vision of HPCCI to include a more comprehensive view of what
HPCCI technologies can make possible in the future will increase the return on the research
investments made in the program. This requires that the HPCCI program include additional
Grand Challenges to supplement those already identified by the Administration. Basing
federal and private research in software, hardware, and networking technologies on the
broadest possible vision will make the most of the foundation provided by the current HPCCI.
CSPP firmly believes that the best means to advance the long-term goals of the HPCCI is for
all America to become captivated by the possibilities. The following pages provide just a few
examples of what an expanded HPCCI could make possible.
3
BETTER HEALTH CARE AND MEDICAL SERVICES
Patients will be linked directly to computers that will not only monitor medical
data, but will continuously transmit that information for rapid analysis and
ongoing diagnosis by remote experts.
Interactive video coupled with high capacity networks will deliver medical
care, including consultations and diagnoses, to populations without easy access
to state of the art medical care and equipment. Besides improving the accuracy
of diagnoses, this could reduce the cost of providing medical care throughout
the United States by permitting more efficient use of expensive equipment.
Doctors, patients, and hospitals will be able to confer and consult with
specialists in distant cities, sharing high definition video images, audio
transmissions, and statistical data from several sources as needed.
4
LIFELONG LEARNING
St
ennesse
Students will have easy access comprehensive remote databases providing
information such as historical and forecasted weather data for their localities.
They will be able to compare it with data they collect themselves, analyze the
accuracy of predictions, and compare it with data collected by students in other
parts of the country through interactive video conferences.
At home or at school, a student doing research for a homework assignment on
Shakespeare will be able to access the Folger Shakespeare Library in
Washington, D.C. and consult with experts at the Library of Congress.
Portions of plays will be available in video through multimedia information
resources.
Students will take realistic "video field-trips" to Amazon rain forests and
Saharan deserts without leaving their classrooms.
"Lifelong learning" will be a reality through high resolution interactive
video. Schools and businesses will design adult education and training classes
tailored to each individual's needs which will be available regardless of a
person's schedule.
5
IMPROVED SERVICES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS,
THE DISABLED, AND HOUSEBOUND
Through advances in speech recognition and other remote control mechanisms,
senior citizens, the disabled, and housebound, will become more independent
by having access to services and activities that are currently not available to
them.
Enhanced multimedia technology, in conjunction with high performance
computers and communications, will enable personal and direct interaction with
friends and family in distant places, as well as with health care professionals
and social service providers.
More direct access to critical government services will also be available, as
will health monitoring systems enabling help to be sent quickly and
automatically in the event of an emergency.
6
ENHANCED INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AND INTELLIGENT
MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
Industries will use high performance computing for advanced design,
simulation, and testing. This will be particularly beneficial in manufacturing,
including sheet-metal forming, rolling, welding, and casting; emissions control
technologies; engine design; light materials design; and pharmaceutical design.
High performance computers and networks will enhance capabilities in
distributed manufacturing, including just-in-time manufacturing, automated
inventory control and resupply, and scheduling; concurrent design, engineering,
and manufacturing.
The availability of high performance computing and communications in
conjunction with sophisticated databases of important government information,
will enable small and large manufacturing companies to quickly conduct
automated patent searches and apply for patents electronically, significantly
speeding the current process.
7
BROAD ACCESS TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE DATABASES,
ELECTRONIC MAIL, AND OTHER UNIQUE RESOURCES
A farmer in South Dakota will be able to easily access the latest crop
predictions and satellite soil analyses from the Department of Agriculture, and
long-range weather forecasts from the Department of Commerce, enabling
adjustment of planting and harvesting plans.
A small business owner will be able to respond electronically to a government
request for proposal on a contract, receive more rapid feedback on the
proposal, and track the award of contracts, enabling instant identification of
subcontracting opportunities.
Individuals will have immediate access to legislative proposals and will be able
to provide their legislators with instant electronic feedback on specific bills.
With government information available and easily accessible on line,
individuals who live near waste dump sites will be able to conduct searches of
Environmental Protection Agency data to find out whether the waste is toxic
and what actions are being taken to clean it up.
8
RECOMMENDATION #1
Expand the Vision of the HPCCI and Include Research on
Generic, Enabling Technologies To Solve a
Wider Range of Grand Challenges
To expand the vision of the HPCCI, federal agencies, such as the Departments of Education,
Health and Human Services, and Commerce, should work with industry to identify additional
Grand Challenges in social and economic areas of direct interest to the government, such as
those described on the previous pages.
To make the new vision a reality, the HPCCI must include research on the generic, enabling
technologies and the computing and communications architectures needed to enable a wide
variety of applications. These include technologies needed for development of open, scalable
platforms and systems, from high performance workstations to parallel vector, heterogeneous
and massively parallel systems. The current HPCCI will address a range of technologies,
including, for example, the following:
new computer architectures that will permit high-capacity information
processing;
advanced microelectronic technologies, including packaging;
compression and decompression techniques;
broadband networks and protocols;
improved techniques for mass data storage and retrieval to permit storage of
complex images;
improved technologies and algorithms for accessing large databases;
innovative user interface technologies;
new algorithms for massively parallel machines, heterogeneous computers and
workstations, and other platforms and applications;
advanced database technology, including tools and services to tie together the
users, the applications, the systems technology and the operating systems; and
enhanced multimedia technologies and capabilities.
These technologies, while useful in solving the science and engineering Grand Challenges,
can help to do more. The national investment in the HPCCI research program can be
enhanced by designing it in such a way that the technologies also support solving the
additional social and economic Grand Challenges.
CSPP companies are already pursuing these and other necessary technologies individually.
Moreover, we are prepared to invest in collaborative work with the government. In fact, we
are developing a computer industry model Cooperative Research and Development Agreement
(CRADA) with the Department of Energy designed to increase industry/laboratory interaction.
Throughout implementation of the program, it is critical that the government collaborate with
both the user and computer systems industries to be sure the HPCCI research and
9
development priorities will support the development of the hardware, software and networking
tools needed to solve the expanded Grand Challenges. It is equally critical that new insights,
knowledge, and technology developments generated by the HPCCI be quickly transferred to
the private sector for actual development, production, and deployment.
CSPP also urges that the Library of Congress and the many government agencies that
generate and maintain large amounts of useful information be included in the HPCCI to help
lay the research foundation for a National Digital Library. The participation of agencies such
as the departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Interior, and the Environmental Protection
Agency, for example, is necessary to most efficiently develop the technologies needed to
make databases easily accessible over a network.
10
RECOMMENDATION #2
Establish a Technology and Policy Foundation for an
Information and Communications Infrastructure for the Future
Developing the most efficient, effective and broad-reaching communications and information
infrastructure for the future requires that near-term research and policy decisions be made
with an eye toward the long-term. As it is described in Grand Challenges, the National
Research and Education Network (NREN) will provide a basic infrastructure for research and
education. However, the NREN offers the foundation for something broader and more
exciting.
Through an expanded HPCCI research agenda, there is an opportunity to lay the technology
and policy foundation to support a much more comprehensive electronic communications and
information infrastructure. Such an infrastructure, to be developed and deployed by the
private sector, will consist of a number of interconnected networks that will not only connect
research hubs across the country, but will bring educational, health, social, business, and
entertainment services to households, schools, hospitals, and offices across the United States.
This "network of networks" will provide all Americans with access to unique resources,
public and private databases, and other individuals throughout the country.
To make this possible, government and industry must work together to address the following.
1.
NETWORK POLICY CONSIDERATIONS -- As a broad communications and
information infrastructure develops, many important policy and network management
issues will need to be addressed, including, for example:
how to ensure security and privacy of widely accessible networks and the
communications transmitted over them, including methods for ensuring privacy
of data and files identifiable to individuals;
protection of copyright licensing and royalty rights;
allocation of radio and broadcast spectrum for networking purposes;
the role of the FCC with respect to networks; and
how to develop and implement flexible and fair standards applicable to high-
capacity networks.
CSPP urges the Administration to ensure the HPCCI serves as a stepping stone to a
broader future information infrastructure by beginning to address these and other
network-related issues now. This will require expanding the activities under the
NREN component of the HPCCI to include research and development on the
technologies needed to support broadly accessible and affordable networks.
11
2.
ENSURING NETWORK INTEROPERABILITY -- The future information infrastructure
is expected to be a network of today's many separate regional, local, private, and
public networks. To be able to send information around such a network of networks,
each must connect physically and logically with the others, a concept known as
interoperability.
To ensure interoperability, the multitude of commercial and research networks in the
U.S. and around the world must be built on a harmonized set of coding schemes and
protocols. Because government policies and programs will have a significant effect on
the protocols used in future networks, they must be coordinated to meet the goal of
network interoperability.
3.
ENSURING BROADEST POSSIBLE ACCESS -- In the past, the federal government
has been the sole convener and principal funding source for research and education
networks. Today and into the future, however, more and more of the funding for
these and other networks, even experimental networks, will come from the private
sector.
While market forces must be allowed to operate to assure full competition in the
provision of networks and services, an expanded HPCCI must include a plan for
ensuring the widest possible access to the infrastructure as existing networks are
upgraded and broadened. The federal government should also work with foreign
governments to ensure equitable access and use of foreign networks, as well as the
ability of U.S. information providers to compete abroad.
12
RECOMMENDATION #3
Improve Management and Governance of the Initiative and
Increase Opportunities for Industry Participation
CSPP is concerned that the current HPCCI management approach is not strong enough to
guarantee effective results. In particular, it does not take sufficient advantage of existing
industry expertise in implementing similar systems.
The HPCCI is a complex project which is being undertaken by at least eight federal agencies,
each with separate needs for high performance computing and networking activities. With the
exception of the National Science Foundation, the agencies are focused primarily on pursuing
agency missions and objectives. At this time, there is no unified vision of the HPCCI or any
ultimate point of responsibility for ensuring the overall program goals are met.
If the HPCCI is to move forward effectively and efficiently, CSPP believes there must be
explicit coordination and accountability, as well as a clear mechanism, which draws on
industry expertise, to coordinate, manage and govern the implementation of the initiative.
CSPP is willing to work with the government to help identify an appropriate lead body within
the Executive Branch that would:
develop and support a national vision for the HPCCI;
develop a coordinated research and public policy agenda designed to make the
national vision for HPCCI a reality;
identify the government's role in accomplishing and overseeing the vision and
the necessary computing and communications architecture;
develop a set of measures and checkpoints against which progress toward the
ultimate goals of the initiative can be measured;
develop a mechanism to ensure that industry, academia, and other parties with
expertise to offer can interact with the government and directly contribute to
the design and implementation of the HPCCI; and
develop a system to ensure the efficient transfer of government-developed
technology under the HPCCI to the private sector for product development and
application.
CSPP is particularly interested in working with the government to ensure close and continuing
involvement with user industries and the computer and telecommunications industries.
13
RECOMMENDATION #4
Reorder HPCCI Budget Priorities
to Achieve a More Balanced Program
Following a series of meetings and interviews with the relevant agencies, CSPP has concluded
that in general, the research planned under the HPCCI will address the technology areas
needed to lay the foundation for a world-class high performance computing and
communications infrastructure. However, CSPP believes, in addition to broadening the vision
for the HPCCI as described on the previous pages, the following shifts in current priorities
will maximize the relevance of the program to both the government and the private sector,
thereby increasing the likelihood that the program's overall goals will be successfully
achieved in the near future.
First, the focus of the HPCCI research should include research on multiple high
performance hardware and software configurations, across a broad performance
range. In other words, the program should balance research on massively
parallel architectures with development and application of other high
performance computing tools including open, scalable platforms and systems,
from high performance workstations to parallel vector, heterogeneous and
massively parallel systems.
Second, the proposed budget, especially the Advanced Software Technology
and Algorithms subcomponent, includes relatively large expenditures on
equipment and facilities in addition to software research activities. CSPP
recommends that the Administration investigate whether the proportion of
funds allocated to software research can be reduced, perhaps by using or
improving existing facilities.
Third, CSPP considers the activities planned under the Basic Research and
Human Resources (BRHR) component crucial to the success of the HPCCI.
OMB and the participating agencies must ensure these activities are also given
high priority. Without trained personnel and a basic research infrastructure,
none of the advances made in the other three program components can be
successfully implemented or used.
Finally, successfully achieving the goals of the HPCCI will require a balance
between advancing key technologies and applying those technologies to solve
complex problems affecting our society. These problems cannot be solved, nor
the benefits distributed, without leaps in a broad range of technologies.
However, planned HPCCI activities seem to focus on advancing key computer
technologies, while applying and disseminating the technologies to solve
critical problems is given a secondary role. CSPP recommends balancing these
two goals to ensure both are adequately addressed.
14
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Robert E. Allen AT&T
Eckhard Pfeiffer Compaq
Lawrence Perlman Control Data
THE FEDERAL HPCCI BUDGET
FOR FY '92:
John A. Rollwagen Cray Research
ACHIEVING BETTER BALANCE
Darman, Boshin, Porter, Moore
Ronald L. Skates Data General
8 CEOs
CSPP will mention your letter back to
Kenneth H. Olsen Digital
them on Fed Lab technology transfer and
report on their progress in responding to
John A. Young Hewlett-Packard
CSPP will announce He establishment
our request
AN ANALYSIS BY THE
of a Cooperative
R+D Agreement (CRADA)
John F. Akers IBM
COMPUTER SYSTEMS POLICY PROJECT
DECEMBER 3, 1991 industry and DoE's between
Scott G. McNealy Sun Microsystems
labs, which will enhance
tech. transfer. This
C RADA will serve
James G. Treybig Tandem
as a model for other
agencies/labs
James A. Unruh Unisys
CSPP will present specific suggestions
for improving the Administration-led
KENNETH R. KAY, Executive Director
1735 New York Avenue, NW Suite 500
High Performe computing Initratine, which
Washington, DC 20006
will be signed sounly the Bresident
202 628-1700 (Fax) 202 331-1024
THE FEDERAL HPCCI BUDGET FOR FY '92:
ACHIEVING BETTER BALANCE
AN ANALYSIS BY CSPP
The current Administration program is divided into four primary components: High
Performance Computing Systems, Advanced Software Technology and Algorithms,
National Research and Education Network, and Basic Research and Human Resources.
In general, CSPP believes the research planned under the HPCCI will address
fundamental technology areas important to providing the foundation for a world-class
high performance computing and communications infrastructure in the United States.
However, CSPP believes that by re-focusing some of the current priorities, the relevance
of the program to the private sector can be maximized, thereby increasing the likelihood
that its goals will be successfully achieved in the near future.
To analyze the Administration's current budget plan, CSPP formed four working
groups -- one to correspond with each program component. During the last six months,
each CSPP working group has had a series of internal discussions and meetings with
agency representatives, and has reviewed more detailed agency program plans where
available. The following summarizes CSPP's specific recommendations for shifting
budget priorities to create a more balanced program for the future.
A.
HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING SYSTEMS (HPCS) -- The goal of this
component is to develop the underlying technology required for scalable parallel
computing systems capable of sustaining trillions of operations per second. The
Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA) is coordinating R&D under the
component; additional major agency participants include NSF, DOE and NASA.
The FY92 proposed budget is $156.8 million, which is 25% of the total initiative
amount. Generally speaking, the incremental funds for FY92 and beyond will be
focused on research in and work on experimental and prototype massively
parallel systems, not for purchase of production machines.
CSPP believes the focus should be broadened to include more than massively
parallel systems. We recommend expanding the HPCS focus to include research
and work on parallel vector, heterogeneous and other high performance
computing architectures. This will ensure a broad range of computing platforms
needed to solve a wider range of Grand Challenges.
B.
ADVANCED SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY AND ALGORITHMS (ASTA) -- The
goal for this group is to develop generic software technology and algorithms for
research applications to realize the performance potential of high performance
computing systems in a networked environment. The coordinating agency is
NASA; other major players include DARPA, NSF, and DOE. The FY92 budget
proposal is $265.1 million, or 41% of the initiative. CSPP recommends the
following to improve the effectiveness of the ASTA program:
1.
In general, the ASTA program targets the research areas and technology
challenges critical to enable successful implementation of the HPCCI.
1
DARPA, DOE, NASA, and NSF are focusing their research on advancing
technology in compilers, tools, computing environments, languages, data
management, operating systems, user interfaces, and visualization, with an
emphasis on developing software systems and applications that will take
advantage of massively parallel systems and databases. However, it
appears that a disproportionately small amount of the budget allocated to
the ASTA program will actually be expended on research in these areas.
Instead, a relatively large percentage of the ASTA funding will go to
purchasing new equipment and computers and to supporting computer
centers. CSPP recommends that the government investigate whether some
of these funds can be shifted toward urgently needed software research,
perhaps by using or improving existing facilities. New facilities should be
funded only if the other options are not possible.
2.
The software library included in the NASA and DARPA programs is a
potentially important and useful mechanism for sharing new software
developments among the agencies and the private sector. CSPP urges the
government to ensure that this program is given high priority, including
ensuring the library is easily accessible to a large community of users and
industry.
3.
The government should ensure that private standards organizations, such
as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), continue to play a
lead role in developing standards for parallel processing as well as the
software library.
4.
Research on both improving the technologies needed to recognize
parallelization opportunities in existing programs and using those
technologies for parallel applications, as well as recoding existing programs
for parallel applications, are essential to success in high performance
computing. It is not clear, based on our review, which strategies the
agencies are pursuing in the ASTA program.
5.
It appears that the ASTA program emphasizes massively parallel
architectures to the extent that other architectures are not being explored
adequately. The program should have a balanced emphasis on different
types of technologies to meet a wide variety of computing needs, including
both tightly coupled and loosely coupled parallel and heterogenous
configurations, including networks of high performance workstations.
6.
The mechanisms for transferring the technology developed under HPCCI,
and especially for transferring advances in software and applications under
ASTA, are not clear, and, at best, appear uncoordinated among agencies.
The government should consider designating a lead agency for ensuring
that the technology developed under the ASTA program is made available
to the private sector in a coordinated manner and in a form that is useful
to industry. CSPP recognizes that the most effective transfer of technology
2
occurs through direct interaction among researchers and technologists.
Accordingly, we recommend allocating as large a proportion of the funding
as practicable to collaborative efforts, such as joint research through
Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and
ensuring that industry is aware of research opportunities in HPCCI. CSPP
is willing to work with the government to develop appropriate mechanisms
for working together.
C.
NATIONAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION NETWORK (NREN) -- The goal is
to develop a national high speed network to provide distributed computing
capability to research and educational institutions and to further advanced
research on very high speed networks and applications. The lead agency is NSF;
funding proposed for FY92 is $91.9 million, or 14% of the initiative. NSF's share
of the total FY92 NREN funding will be used primarily to support the continued
growth of a strong and flexible interim network. The primary activity under this
effort will be the continuing upgrade of the existing internet, including the
NSFnet backbone, the regional and midlevel networking structure, and various
government agency networks. Gradually, funds will be shifted away from direct
support by NSF of physical networks in favor of existing and developing
commercial networks and services which compete according to natural market
forces. NSF will focus on ensuring network architecture and protocol
harmonization to guarantee pervasive end user and application connectivity and
interoperability as part of their base programs. Additionally, NSF will use a
percentage of its funding (less than 20%) to support new and important initiatives
in the areas of network services (e.g. networked libraries), attachment of K-12
institutions, and network research and development including gigabit networking
research. Finally, NSF has been designated as the lead agency for the NREN
program and will soon have dedicated resources in place to coordinate and
manage the program.
DARPA's focus will be on research and development projects in the area of
multimedia gigabit networking technologies and systems. DARPA's primary goal
will be to pursue these projects in the context of serving the research needs of the
Department of Defense. DARPA appears reluctant to engage with industry in
goal and priority setting but is open to active collaboration where DARPA and
industry goals coincide.
The projects and goals to be pursued with NREN funding in the remaining
governmental agencies are not yet well defined. There will likely be some focus
on establishing or upgrading the individual agencies' networks or network
attachments. There will also be a drive toward developing various mission
specific applications that can leverage high speed networks. It is extremely
important that these activities be coordinated with NSF and DARPA to ensure
that there is no unnecessary duplication of effort and an appropriate leveraging of
projects and funds.
3
CSPP has the following recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the
NREN program.
1. CSPP agrees with designating NSF as the lead agency for the NREN program.
2.
The NREN program must be well coordinated and managed across the
various government agencies to ensure there is no unnecessary duplication
of effort, particularly in the R&D for gigabit networking technologies.
3.
The records of proceedings and planning documents from meetings of the
various NREN coordinating committees should be made generally
available within both government and the private sector.
4.
The government should work to ensure ubiquitous access to NREN by all
government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels, by the
American research and education communities, and by the library
community.
5.
A vehicle should be established for industry participation in the goal
setting and prioritization of the various components of the NREN
program. Several vehicles currently exist: NSF has named a full-time
NREN coordinator to focus on the day-to-day coordination and
management of the program; the Federal Networking Council (FNC)
coordinates actions by government agencies; and the Federal Networking
Advisory Committee (FNAC) is a forum for industry participation. In
addition, the Internet Advisory Board (IAB) and the Internet Engineering
Task Force (IETF) provide vehicles for technical coordination between
governmental agencies, industry, and the scientific community. However,
the existence of these organizations is just a first step. First, it is
important that their existence, as well as records of their proceedings, be
made generally known throughout the government and private sector.
Second, it is critical that these organizations and individuals are held
accountable to an overall HPCCI management body. Further, DARPA
should be encouraged to actively participate in industry-government efforts
to set NREN goals and priorities.
6.
To ensure successful operation of a network that is now and will continue
to be made up of many different networks and protocols, CSPP
recommends that efforts under the NREN program focus on
interoperability and harmonization of standards.
7.
Significant administrative emphasis should be placed on acquiring services
within the framework of this interconnected system and making all the
services of each component of the system available to the broadest
community possible.
4
8.
R&D under the NREN component should promote strong interaction
between the telecommunications and computing industries in pursuit of
technologies needed to support an emerging high speed multimedia
information and communications infrastructure, including the high
performance computing systems that will use that infrastructure. The
testbed programs currently funded by DARPA and NSF provide a first
step toward these goals. Moreover, these projects cover R&D across a
broad range of gigabit networking areas including wide area networks,
metropolitan area networks, local area networks, and attachment of high
performance computing systems. The Administration should work with
interested private sector parties to insure that a balance is drawn between
promising independent basic research, research focused on local
implementations of gigabit systems, and "test-bed" systems.
9.
CSPP endorses use of NREN funding to address issues surrounding
privatization and commercialization of the NREN.
D.
BASIC RESEARCH AND HUMAN RESOURCES (BRHR) -- This component
provides support for individual investigators and multidisciplinary long term
research; initiation of activity to significantly increase the pool of trained
personnel; and support for efforts leading to accelerated technology transition.
The FY92 budget proposal is $124.5 million, 20% of the initiative; NSF and
DARPA are the major contributors. The BRHR activities are crucial to the
success of the HPCCI. Accordingly, OMB and the participating agencies should
give these activities a high priority in making budget decisions. Further, the base
programs in high performance computing and communications research and
infrastructure must be maintained and built upon; the incremental funding
proposed for FY92 must remain truly incremental to be effective. The overall
funding levels and plans for accomplishing BRHR goals seem reasonable for
FY92. The breakdown among subcomponents -- basic research, research
participation and training, infrastructure, and education, training and curriculum -
- also seems reasonable. However, the agencies have not yet articulated clear
goals or objectives for the incremental funding in a form in which measures of
success can be effectively developed. CSPP will work with the government to
help articulate specific goals and success measures for this component based on
the goals we would like the HPCCI achieve.
5