It’s common knowledge within
the NonStop community that Margo and I are building a new home. This time, it
will not be in Colorado but rather, in Florida. Nothing political to report
here as the catalyst for such a change of location has more to do with our health
than anything else – heading to sea level is likewise almost as common
knowledge as is the move itself.
The home we are building in
Florida will be the third home Margo and I have built. This time it will be a
far cry from the first home we built but similar in that we are starting with
an empty lot. Our second home was already a work in progress when we chose it
but even so we watched as our chosen floorplan took shape between the frames.
So yes, we know frameworks.
For the NonStop community,
frameworks often surface in discussions. When you enter the world of open
source there are a myriad variety of options, all with the benefits and
weaknesses. Many of the better software implementations we rely on today have
been built atop robust frameworks.
However, I have been
singularly unsuccessful over the years in convincing any of my clients to
promote their own frameworks. I am not sure why, but it’s as if there is no
longer any pride exhibited when good frameworks are the reason when a software
solution appears almost out of nothing at all.
In a post of September,
2018, Frameworks
– nothing to write about and yet, in NonStop they are the rock … I wrote
that, of
themselves, frameworks aren’t viewed as marketable products by the NonStop
community; a circumstance Infrasoft became aware of a decade ago.
“Frameworks are like our navels, everybody has one,” suggested Infrasoft CTO,
Neil Coleman. Well perhaps, but all the same, none of our navels are similar,
right?
The point that Neil made is
relevant insofar as it highlights just how progressive Infrasoft happens to be,
even today. When I was working closely with the Infrasoft team I suggested we
name the uLinga framework, Akuna – after all, the names being given to
functionality unveiled on packages all seemed to follow the same pattern,
selecting from the rich Australian First Nation language.
The name Akuna is
significant in Aboriginal culture and is often associated with ancestral wisdom
and a deep understanding of the natural world. Something I associated with the
uLinga program as the team did have adeep understanding of NonStop and
networking. In this matter, however, let the record stand; I failed with this
initiative and Akuna was short-lived.
Before Infrasoft and before them,
Insession, I took on the job of Program Manager for NonStop NET/MASTER. No, it
wasn’t my fault that the Product Management team of the day steered the
implementation on NonStop away from the original design purpose. But that’s a
tale for another time; perhaps during a beer bust celebration?
Having an initial goal of
making NonStop systems and applications visible to an IBM mainframe monitoring
tool (almost all NonStop systems were connected to a mainframe at that time),
it seemed a good idea, but this was never going to fly internally at Tandem
Computers. Instead, it was perverted in ways unimaginable and bearing little
resemblance to the IBM implementation.
Becoming so bloated it
failed to impress its target audience. However, it might have been wiser to
listen to the Tandem architecture committee – why aren’t you using the standard
Tandem framework? Yes, such a framework existed but no, it wasn’t going to be
embraced. NonStop NET/MASTER was special, or so I was told.
Many years later, I wonder
what would have happened had we elected to build the implementation of
NET/MASTER for NonStop customers if we had chosen Kurn’s Kernel? After all, it
provided access to, and integration with, many of the key NonStop subsystems
the NonStop NET/MASTER solution required.
Fast forward to today. If
you have been attending NonStop conferences and events of late you would be
hard pressed not to have heard about the Digital Resilience Framework. Built
upon on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
continuously evolving Cybersecurity Framework, HPE is investing considerable
effort into developing and publicizing this framework as a guideline for
NonStop customers to address evolving security mandates, including that coming
out of Europe known by its acronym, DORA, (Digtial Operational Resiliency Act?).
The National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework is elevating security to
greater heights. The promotion of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework by HPE has
led to the emergence of the Digital Resilience Framework for NonStop systems.
This in turn as led to a growing movement within the NonStop team and among its
partner ecosystem to align themselves with this initiative to help NonStop
clients implement digital resilience strategies.
All goodness, mind you, with
good intentions however as we all know all too well, the road to hell is paved
with good intentions. Expressed another way, and pulling verse from Biblical
times then, according to Ecclesiasticus 21:11, "The way of sinners is
made plain with stones, but at the end thereof is the pit of hell." Ouch.
But seriously, the NonStop community is hoping for more than just good
intentions. And a journey less frightening.
For anyone building a new
home, facing one decision after another, potentially made in haste, can prove
to be a stressful time. However, for enterprises looking for a one-stop shop
solution meeting all their cyber security requirements, frameworks can be as
much a curse as they can be a blessing. Far too often, when frameworks are
evaluated, their merits can fade with the frameworks in question looking more
and more like marketecture backed up only by slideware.
The good thing for the
NonStop community is that there is at least one path that can be evaluated; the
NonStop-centric Digital Resilience Framework. The vendors that have embraced
this framework are all highly-respected in their own rights – Xypro, ETI-NET, and
Gravic. And yet, therein lies a major obstacle for the NonStop team.
Would you consider
overlooking your relationship with comforte, CSP? Just to move to something
else? What about NTI or GoldenGate? Not forgetting too those all-important solution
vendors’ offerings with D/R and / or security built-in - Lusis? OmniPayments?
Not sure about abat+ but I suspect that they too look after having their own digital
resilience solution.
Fortunately, when it comes
to ETI-NET’s new management philosophy they have adopted a pro-partner
collaboration strategy that has led to an open partner collaboration addressing
real-world eco-system solutions for NonStop clients. Their leadership in terms
of secure NonStop backup systems in bringing 3-2-1-X (with support of
air-gaping and immutability), in concert with the NonStop ecosystem,
demonstrates the kind of collaboration NonStop customer’s demand.
Likewise, when it comes to
the NTI team, there are few barriers in place that would in any way restrict
the participation of DRNet®/Unified.
Their management will always be focused on what works best for the NonStop
customer and already has numerous NonStop customers where popular backup and
security solutions are already in place.
“We understand that a level
of cooperation between NonStop vendors can prove invaluable and, to date, we
have established a track record in this regard with what we have done together
with Infrasoft and TANDsoft,” said Tim Dunne, NTI’s Global Director Worldwide Sales. “It is then very reasonable to think that
there will be further partnerships to follow.”
To be effective and to be considered
a solution to a broader audience of NonStop customers, as it stands today the Digital
Resilience Framework from the NonStop team has to become more open for NonStop customers
to consider. That is, a model of what needs to be addressed. In this case –
what NIST has called out as Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover.
A reference model that
emerges supporting a defined framework should be based on well thought out,
evolving, descriptions where NIST’s Cybersecurity Framework is a prime example.
And, in this example, such a reference model should cater to a mix of NonStop
vendors aligned collaboratively where everyone can make a contribution. I just
cannot imagine any NonStop customer, with decades of experience dependent on alternate
security or D/R offerings favoring a proprietary, stand-alone model; no single
solution model fits all.
What is the nett - nett of
this? For NonStop customers with a D/R solution in place, with a solid backup /
restore solution likewise in place and security / monitoring already deployed
then yes – surprise! You have the necessary resilience already in place. If you
want to document it, highlighting your framework, go right ahead. Develop
policies; pursue best practices and then take a test system offline and practice.
For those looking for a
press-the-button solution then the NonStop team can point you towards one – but
here’s the reality. NonStop is blessed in that these products all work and with
that, the NonStop community is well positioned to meet any audits required of
them.
Entering our sixteenth year
of business with Pyalla Technologies, LLC, I can say I have worked with many of
the companies referenced here. I have come to understand their respective
priorities. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy that the NonStop community can point
to a common, foundational, reference model and to have the opportunity to
explore it’s fit with what they already have deployed. I am even providing my
own perspective on what is currently available in commentaries, posts and
podcasts.
But back there, hiding deep
in my memory, I wonder if the world would have been different if NonStop
NET/MASTER for instance had embraced Kurn’s Kernel? On the other hand, there
was a reason so many development groups within Tandem Computers elected not to
use Kurn’s Kernel. It was a framework, for sure, but a flexible model? Not so
much! Perhaps, as a community, we have learnt our lesson. Having options is always
good and being able to choose ultimately delivers solutions tailored to better meet
our specific needs.
When it comes to
cybersecurity, the future clearly calls for a continuously evolving framework
but it will only happen if you, the NonStop customer, express a need to have
options. To be given a choice and be able to maintain vendor relationships
forged over decades.
Let’s just see how this plays out but, for me, I am already an advocate. Let’s keep the framework. Let’s have a reference model. And yes, let’s be given a choice as the best judgement that can be only be made by us, The NonStop Customers.
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