LINUX SECURITY --- May 08, 2001 Published by ITworld.com -- changing the way you view IT http://www.itworld.com/newsletters __________________________________________________________________________ ______ HIGHLIGHTS * Will IBM's new "intelligent" computers bring George Orwell's worst fears to life or just make system administrators' jobs easier? __________________________________________________________________________ ____ Too much automation? By Rick Johnson Imagine a world where a system administrator's job is nothing more than a distant memory, once a network is setup and turned on, the servers monitor and adjust themselves without human interaction. They will shield themselves from human error and fiercely protect against malicious hacker attacks. It may sound like movie fiction now, but maybe not for long. IBM recently unveiled a multibillion-dollar research initiative titled Project eLiza, short for "electronic lizard." The name comes from IBM's chess-playing supercomputer Deep Blue, which had the brainpower- equivalent of a lizard. eLiza's offspring will have even more processing power, IBM says. Convinced that networks will continue growing until they are too complex for current technologies to properly maintain, project eLiza will give computer system administrators the ability to manage far more complex systems than those currently in existence. IBM's goal is to create "intelligent" computers capable of handling simple tasks, such as correcting system failures and warding off hacker attacks. A world populated with self-managing computer networks that can ensure their own survival and stability; the ultimate goal being a system that never goes down. One focus of eLiza will be to create servers that will, according to IBM's press release, "protect themselves with super-vigilant security technology." The company promises that systems managers who shy away from any product that automatically updates itself, fearing that those auto-updates will do more harm than good to their carefully configured and customized system, need not fear eLiza. This is a bold move by IBM, but such a large commitment of resources virtually ensures great strides in the advancement of computing. I agree that improving the processes and automation of server management is necessary. As server farms and clusters grow, eventually the time and headcount needed becomes to great to be cost effective. My concern is how far this will go. What if the server assumes to know the proper configurations and best practices even though you want it to do the opposite? How will it know when you have a valid reason? I would hate someone overhearing me reasoning with my firewall, begging it to open a port. While I think that IBM has the best intentions, I have the same nagging vision running through my head of various movie plots such as the Terminator and the Matrix. Just once, maybe Hollywood paranoia is justified. About the author(s) ------------------- Rick Johnson is currently involved in a number of projects, none of which he can discuss at this time. Aren't non-disclosure agreements wonderful? When not involved with those, he heads the development team for PMFirewall, an Ipchains Firewall and Masquerading Configuration Utility for Linux. Rick can be contacted via email at rick@pointman.org or on the web at http://www.pointman.org. __________________________________________________________________________ ______ ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IBM earmarks billions for 'smart' server Company makes major investment in developing more-automated server management. http://www.itworld.com/jump/linsec_nl/www.itworld.com/Net/3561/NWW01043012 0096/ Big Blue's eLiza: Self-managing server farms envisioned Future holds workloads balanced on the fly http://www.itworld.com/jump/linsec_nl/www.itworld.com/Net/3561/IDG010427el iza/ Wintel server competition leads to more than low prices http://www.itworld.com/jump/linsec_nl/www.itworld.com/Comp/1393/IWD010502h nserve/ __________________________________________________________________________ ______
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