LARSS
Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars Program
NASA Langley, Hampton Virginia
(The following is a copy of my technical report submitted at the end of my internship)
Abstract
A Systems Administrator in the Data Management Office of the Atmospheric Science Competency maintains and manages the workstations, servers, software applications and data networks. He or she typically must be an expert applications programmer, systems programmer/ engineer (understands the systems programs and potentially modifies the operating system code) and network analyst. My objective this summer was to begin streamlining and automating task to assist resident SAs in their management duties. I had two fundamental tasks. The first task involved understanding NT administration well enough to modify the Mission Operations client/ server configuration. I also was asked to write several web pages that tracked all of the mass storage media for the earth satellite missions in the division. This was important because the project had not been able to find an intuitive web interface to update the data stored in their Relational Database Management system.
At the beginning of the internship, my mentor Calvin Mackey provided training with necessary tools to prepare me for upcoming projects. I was provided with a Unix X terminal workstation, a Sun Ultra 10 workstation, and a CyberMax PC. On one occasion my mentor made his own personal laptop computer available for me to use to transfer data and work with at home when needed. I was also provided with a TV/VCR to be used for viewing the visual media needed for training during my first project. The project began with an MCSE training program, which gave in detail, everything I needed in order to familiarize myself with Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server. This training program consisted of visual media, audiotapes, books and manuals, and CD-ROM. This was the best way for my mentor to provide training in the midst of his busy work schedule, helping me along the way when I was in need of assistance or answers. Because of his busy schedule however, I was able to observe him functioning in his position as Computer Facilities Manager leading the Systems Administrators, what I hope to do. I was allowed to attend meetings and witness managerial and problem solving sessions with different groups here at Langley, as well as, with offsite contractors. The knowledge obtained from the training program was used only on a few systems to load Windows NT Workstation and NT Server. My mentor planned to allow me to change the network configuration of 8 standalone Earth Observation System Mission Operations NT workstations to client/ server configuration. Unfortunately, the project had several delays during my stay and the workstations never arrived. The training was well documented so that future individual would not have any difficulty continuing this effort.
The next project entailed configuring a UNIX workstation from Sun Microsystems with all of its system software, application software, and networking configuration files. The Sun Ultra 10 system was named eosops. An automated installation was performed. I learned and participated in the process of the automated installation or "jumpstart" as it was called. This installation was for a Solaris 2.6 operating system. This installation was successful. A manual Network installation of Solaris 2.6 was also performed. During the network installation I detected a problem with the installation program. The installation program was not prompting for a new login and password, as it should have. Without this the machine would be rendered useless. I consulted Jim Matthews who wrote most of the scripts for the automated and network installation programs. We found the system was configured for jumpstart and sysid auto configuration. This was done for some work in the past. These settings were appropriate for the automated installation but had to be adjusted for a network installation. To resolve this problem Jim disabled auto config on eosops setup so it would prompt for a root password. Jim informed me when this process was done and the installation of Solaris 2.6 from the network proceeded. The next step was to upgrade the systems operating system to Solaris 2.7. A CD-ROM installation disk was to be used, however I was unable to proceed with this due to the fact that the department's only disk was in heavy use at this time. It was being used on a server machine to provide upgrades for the other machines on the network. This turned out to be a fortunate incident in that I got to learn more about automated and network installations from the programming end. The systems on the network that were to be upgraded were set on a schedule as to which system would receive the upgrade and when. I have a new broad understanding of automated and manual Sun systems installations and configurations now.
The most extensive project was the ColdFusion project. It involved learning ColdFusion code (CFML). Due to a background in HTML, CFML was not hard to learn are very similar. A homepage was created using CFML to track mass storage media information stored in tables in an Informix Relational Database management system. This was to provide a more efficient and user-friendly manner for all project users to connect to the cirrus server to track and manage records on various types of media. The database contained information regarding the thousands of 9 track tapes, 5 1/4" optical disk, 4mm tapes, 8mm tapes, and 12" optical platters. An interface was written 7 years ago to track all of this information but it is now obsolete. Users had to log into a designated server and execute an application to view or update the required information. My job was to replace the outdated interface using the new coldfusion application. This would allow users to perform the same functions from a web browser. We ran into many configuration problems initially installing the application on the web/ database server. We required assistance from Allaire support to resolve this situation. Allaire is the company that produces the ColdFusion software. We found that we were misinformed of the capabilities of the ColdFusion Studio client application we attempted to configure. The problem existed when trying to connect to an Informix database on a foreign server. The application ColdFusion Server was needed on that server. After that, another route was planned. To expedite this project we decided to transfer all of the data to an existing ColdFusion database server. That way once a data source was created (for our application) the remaining step would be to make minor adjustments to the code to interact with the database from the web server application.
Summary
The entire LARSS experience was very beneficial to me. I learned a lot in areas that will be useful to me immediately as well as in the future. I got to make some very promising contacts with people who can help me in furthering my education and establishing my career. I gathered information to help me do the same for myself. The MCSE training has already paid off in giving me a better understanding of networks itself. I was especially appreciative of this training because at the end of the summer I plan to take two of the MCSE test towards becoming Microsoft Certified. About midway through the summer I was able to help the System Administrator at my school access a network security problem via telnet. The new knowledge I had gained helped me understand what had happened. I plan on furthering my experience with projects of my own that I have already started, experimenting with the types of networks I learned.
I gained extensive experience with Sun systems that will be able to put to use along with my group in the Office of Naval Research program at ECSU. Nasa also funds the ONR program. I am on the System Administration team and I believe that what I have learned and observed here will be useful when I go back. Another thing I appreciated was the lectures. I particularly enjoyed the first one at which Dr. Joel S. Levine spoke about the Mars Airplane Mission. I think it was a rare opportunity to be able to be given insight into such a large project in its developmental stage and to be able to view images and hear detailed information before the public had access to it. Dr. Levine sparked an interest in the audience for the Mars Airplane Mission. I also appreciate the lecture from Ruth M. Martin, the honest interpretation of working here at NASA LaRC as a civil servant. I have made personal and professional contacts that I am confident will help me get into the graduate school of my choice. I have made helpful personal friendships with other LARSS interns from which I have learned of other opportunities and organizations I wish to get involved in so that I can better myself.
References
Books:
-Mastering ColdFusion 4, Danesh - Motlagh, -Sybex
-MCSE Exchange 5 study guide, Easlick - Chellis -Sybex Network Press
-MCSE NT Server 4 in the Enterprise study guide, Donald -Chellis -Sybex Network
-Microsoft Windows NT4 Syllabus -United Education Centers
-Windows NT Network Administration -Microsoft Press
-Windows NT technical Support -Microsoft Press
-Networking Essentials, Second Edition -Microsoft Press
Help Sites:
-www.allaire.com or www.coldfusion.com
-www.putney.com/cftutorial/index.cfm
-rtb.home.texas.net/cf/
-www.webmonkey.com
-psyberspace.netcoldfusion/coding/docindex/tags.cfm
CD-ROM:
-Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
-Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
-Windows NT Network Administration Training
-Windows NT Technical Support Training
-Networking Essentials
-Networking Essentials, Second Edition
-Administering Microsoft Windows NT 40
-MCSE Exam Simulation Software-
*Networking Essentials
*Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0
*TCP/IP on Windows NT 4.0
*Windows NT Server 4.0
*Widows NT Server 4 in the Enterprise
*Windows NT Workstation 4.0
-Support Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Core Technologies
Video:
- United Education Centers Test out! For Microsoft MCSE Certification training course
Acknowledgements:
My mentor, Calvin Mackey
Jim Matthews
Aliesha, at the Allaire Corporation