“A major breakdown in Southern California’s air traffic control system last week was partly due to a ‘design anomaly’ in the way Microsoft Windows servers were integrated into the system, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times,” Matthew Broersma reports for Techworld.
“The failure was ultimately down to a combination of human error and a design glitch in the Windows servers brought in over the past three years to replace the radio system’s original Unix servers, according to the FAA,” Broersma reports. “The radio system shutdown, which lasted more than three hours, left 800 planes in the air without contact to air traffic control, and led to at least five cases where planes came too close to one another, according to comments by the Federal Aviation Administration reported in the LA Times and The New York Times.”
“As originally designed, the VSCS system used computers that ran on an operating system known as Unix, said Ray Baggett, vice president for the union’s western region. The VSCS system was built for the FAA by Harris Corp. of Melbourne, Fla., at a cost of more than $1.5 billion. When the system was upgraded about a year ago, the original computers were replaced by Dell computers using Microsoft software,” The Los Angeles Times reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Stupid? You decide. We wouldn’t trust Dell computers using the Microsoft Windows operating system to surf the internet safely, much less depend on the combo for safely communicating with 800 planes in flight.
dear god, why would anyone risk so many lives.
Note to self “DO NOT FLY TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA”
I am flying somewhere on friday
I am now scared
More “Trustworthy Computing” from Micro$oftopoly.
My Neighbour’s flying to the west coast next month. I wonder if I’ll inherit his Cube?
The real problem here isn’t the equipment but rather the airline people who chose to buy and depend this troublesome hardware and software to keep passengers safe. “Upgrade to Microsoft software”, God help us!
Windows running Air Traffic Control comm systems, Windows running in Nuclear Subs, Windows running ATMs, Windows running in Banking systems, Windows in Hospitals (my brother’s hospital went all Windows a few years ago)…This is a scenario for disaster.
OMFG, and the FBI thinks that Cat Stevens is a secureity risk! They have their head on backwards is all I can say, if a peace activist is barred entry to the US on “security grounds” whilst the worlds most unstable operating system is givent the task of mantaining air safety!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1310206,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3678694.stm
Wise man once said….
“… you get what you pay for..”
But, it’s scarey to know that so many lives are being put in jepordy because, those who should know better, chose to use Micro$oft, instead of Unix
No air traffic control system should be wholly dependent on just one feature for its safety and effectiveness, and should incorporate redundant systems for both ground-based and plane-based traffic control and warning systems. Still, I do wonder how many of these �near misses� involved commercial passenger jets and private aircraft.
Shame on the FAA union that failed to provide adequate training and in-services to their employees. This lack of attention and commitment to employee competence is even more worrisome as it suggests deeper, more entrenched, and more systemic problems in the air trafic control system.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20954~2388909,00.html
Installing Dull servers and Micro$oftopoly software is NOT an upgrade from any version of UNIX. Just another reason that the Federal Gvt needs an enema- Dept of Homeland Security runs Windoze. No wonder the Gvt cannot catch OBL- while they are re-booting their Windoze PC’s he’s on the road again.
Ironically, when I went to the main article, the ad to the right was a MS add with this on it: “Make a name for yourself with Windows Server System.”
If a plane crashes because of them, they will make a name for themselves.
Cat Stevens a peace activist? Lest you forget so soon, Cat openly supported Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwah calling for the execution of author, and fellow Muslim, Salmon Ruishdie for defaming Mohammed.
Peace activist, indeed!
OMG! Did they change UNIX machines to Windows ones? How stupid is that??!!
No less than in Apples own backyard. Looks like a Apple sales member needs to make a visit to that airport and sell them a cluster.
Now Osama can write a virus that crashes 800 planes with one click?
Going from Unix to WinDOS is NOT an upgrade. Thank it like going into battle and saying… “I traded my M1A1 tank for this Pinto. Woohoo, let’s get it on!” Major mistake… the human error was not in the integration of the new hardware/software… it was the PURCHASE of the hardware and software package they chose that was the error
Once again, people making potential life altering decision with cost at mind… not safety or lives in mind.
Should have stayed with Unix… can’t remember hearing anything about 800 planes also going down because Unix hosed something up. Maybe they installed the system properly….. ever notice now many MCSEs (Microsoft Cert. Sys. Engineer) there are? The test must be…. do you have a pulse? yes. Can you count to 5? 1,2,3,4….. um….. 5! Who makes the most secure operating system? Microsoft? No, but we’ll accept that answer. Here is your MCSE certificate.
You can get your MCSE by mail order too… or online. I think Sally Struthers was was hocking it on late night TV. Sad.
At any rate… no flying for me for a while. They say flying is safer then driving… but I guess that depends on in you have a Windows box controlling your car…. otherwise…. crank Sammy Hagar… “I.. Can’t… Drive….. 55!”
The Dude abides man…. the Dude abides.
Going from Unix to WinDOS is NOT an upgrade. Thank it like going into battle and saying… “I traded my M1A1 tank for this Pinto. Woohoo, let’s get it on!” Major mistake… the human error was not in the integration of the new hardware/software… it was the PURCHASE of the hardware and software package they chose that was the error
Once again, people making potential life altering decision with cost at mind… not safety or lives in mind.
Should have stayed with Unix… can’t remember hearing anything about 800 planes also going down because Unix hosed something up. Maybe they installed the system properly….. ever notice now many MCSEs (Microsoft Cert. Sys. Engineer) there are? The test must be…. do you have a pulse? yes. Can you count to 5? 1,2,3,4….. um….. 5! Who makes the most secure operating system? Microsoft? No, but we’ll accept that answer. Here is your MCSE certificate.
You can get your MCSE by mail order too… or online. I think Sally Struthers was was hocking it on late night TV. Sad.
At any rate… no flying for me for a while. They say flying is safer then driving… but I guess that depends on in you have a Windows box controlling your car…. otherwise…. crank Sammy Hagar… “I.. Can’t… Drive….. 55!”
The Dude abides man…. the Dude abides.
STFU John, Cat Stevens is a nut case that should never be allowed in this country again and he has nothing to do with this story. Back on topic…when will these people ever learn that M$ is NEVER the answer?!?
Mission Critical systems running on Windows again.
<shakes head>
Read the article people. I wouldn’t call this an MS Problem.
The servers are timed to shut down after 49.7 days of use in order to prevent a data overload, a union official told the LA Times. To avoid this automatic shutdown, technicians are required to restart the system manually every 30 days. An improperly trained employee failed to reset the system, leading it to shut down without warning, the official said….
The contract for designing the system, called Voice Switching and Control System (VSCS), was awarded to Harris Corporation in 1992 and the system was installed in the late 1990s, initially using Unix servers, according to Harris. In 2001, the company completed testing of the VSCS Control Subsystem Upgrade (VCSU), which replaced the original servers with off-the-shelf Dell hardware running Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server.
“Mission Critical systems running on Windows again.”
More like “Dumb ass technicians running critical systems again”
BTW….I love the way MDN Sugar Coats the Aticle to make it look like a windows problem…You guys suck balls.
the ‘you get what you pay for’ thing allows shit companies to overcharge.. that’s the problem w the axiom…
“snagglepuss”: Why should it require so much maintenance for a technician to run a system? Why do Windows servers have to be restarted every 30 days to avoid a data overload? Sounds like your brainwashing has led you to believe that this is normal?
Snagglepuss
On UNIX, a Cron job would be able to do this without having to rely on humans at all. Of course, Windows Task Scheduler (At.exe) is supposed to also be able to, but that’s not nearly as reliable.
So I blame Windows for requiring so much interaction to stay running, and VSCS for employing idiots in their technical architecture team.
Satisfied now?