COMPUTER MEMORIES, Chapter 61

BANK OF AMERICA
While I had programmers working at the Bank of America in San Francisco, I discovered they had an excellent security system to protect computer information needed for the Bank’s business, and customer records. At least it was excellent for those days. Every two or three hours they loaded magnetic tapes and disks containing all the important banking data, into one of several station wagons. The drivers would head, each in a different direction, just drive around, then return a few hours later. They felt if there was an earthquake, a fire, a riot, or whatever, the data would be available in one of the station wagons “out there somewhere.”

These days, they most likely have separate computer systems many (hundreds or thousands) miles apart, connected by a communication network. Everything is duplicated on computers located far from each other.

This reminds me of the problem of determining the “band width” needed to transmit a given amount of data, a given number of miles, in a given amount of time. In the early days, if there was a huge file to transmit, sometimes it was faster and cheaper to send storage media (tapes, disks) in a 707, rather than use the rather slow communications lines of that day.

“GOVERNOR’S OFFICE SENT ME.”
Early in my work at several State Capitols in the West, I discovered the Governor’s receptionist in every state knew everyone worth knowing, and knew where to find them. I would go to the Governor’s office and talk to the receptionist each time I needed to get names and the location of people I needed to see. The receptionist would say something like, “Go to building ‘A’, and ask for Mr. Whoever.” It took very little imagination to say, “The Governor’s office sent me.” That was not only true, it worked every time!