GCHQ Bagram Presentation 2010

Bagram - Area 82 -+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+- The Story So Far ..... -+ -- + --- ...- -+ - -+ -- + - 23 June 2010 SECRET

Introduction . . . . -....-- --.---.-.--- . . . .... -- -'1-"--~---.-.-- . --~- . ....... . . -~----..--- . ....... - (GREMIO ASI PM) ~ Technical delivery by IT Services with help from C&W ~ This is a summary of how we got there, including: • • • • 2 winters (neither really happened) 5+ external partners 1 minefield with added bornb and 1 toilet block 23 June 2010 SECRET

Why did we build this facility? --+- - --+----+----.-- ~ }=. --+----+----,;,-- --+----+-- --+----+----+-- GCOs wanted access to RT-RG RT- RG was based at Bag ram Airfield and effective access required: • Single satellite hop connectivity • Requiring A new in th eatre network • Requiring In-theatre peering with NSA 23 June 2010 SECRET

Where we started -+- --+---+-- ..... -- --+----+----i---+--...-- ~ -.....;..-- ........ --+- Container based solution at Souter ~"Fit a peering point into 1 container (5 racks) Try to link this all to RT -R G at Bagram ~ Winter was approaching and there was a risk of bad weather / frozen ground. 'llil 23 June 2010 SECRET

Area-82 was still just a good idea -+- --+---+-- 23 June 2010 ....-- --t----+----._ SECRET __ _.___ _.__-.....;...--......... --+-

Then came the Minefield -+- --+---+-- ....-- --t----+----._ __ _.___ _.__ -.....;...-- ......... --+- ~ .. Space available on Area 82 - if we don't mind it being in a minefield. Oh, and by the way - there is a 500lb unexploded bomb in the middle of it. .... -.~. Souter not an option 1".. ~ Area-82 becoming a building site --~Still in containers 23 June 2010 SECRET ..

Then came the data centre move -+- ~ _.....,.... __ .....,.... __ _.___ ......_. __ .....,.... ___ .,.... __ ......_ __ ....... _ -+--+--+- RT-RG moving into new data centre so our plans delayed once more ~"Space available for our racks and plans to clear the minefield are drawn up 23 June 2010 SECRET

Area-82 was also changing fast -+- --+--- 23 June 2010 ........ -- ..... -- --+----+----.;----+----+-- SECRET _....._ __ -+----+--

"The Minefield is Cleared" -+\,j .. --+---+-- ..... -- _....___ _...___ .___ ...._ __ _.__-+-- ........ --+- All we needed was a volunteer to go check out this rumour 23 June 2010 SECRET

Then the other guests turned up -+.- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ _.....,.... __ ....._. __ _. ___ ......., __ .....,.... ___ ._ __ ....._ __ ....__ -+.--+--+- First the AROCC build started Then RED RIDGE appeared in the antenna field Then Liberty..... , Then NRO .... . Then NGA .... . Then USAF ... . Let the party begin. • • • • • Who pays? How do we design the layout? Any more partners? Have we enough power? Winter was approaching again - along with the risk. Do we want temporary space on top of the toilets? 23 June 2010 SECRET

Another Survey is needed -+- --+---+-- ..... -- _....___ _...___ .___ ...._ __ _.__-+-- ........ --+- But the Bagram Hilton is overbooked that night ... 23 June 2010 SECRET

Progress was being made -+- --+---+-- ....-- --t----+----._ __ _.___ _.__ -.....;...-- ......... --+- We finally have our very own hole! ! 23 June 2010 SECRET

Quite Quickly by this point ... -+- --+---+-- ..... -- --+----+---- ....--+--...-- -+-- ........ --+- Which soon started to look like something we could use 23 June 2010 SECRET

Finally the Build Begins -+- -.....;.---+---11-- _....,..__ .....____ ._ __ .....___ ...._._-+.--+--+- Afghan technology is deployed to complete the ground works 23 June 2010 SECRET

No Expense is Spared -+- --+---+-- ..... -- _....___ _...___ .___ ...._ __ _.__-+-- Only the best equipment is used 23 June 2010 SECRET ........ --+-

Meanwhile, back with ITServices -+- --+---+-- ..... -- --+----+----i---+--...-- -+-- ........ --+- We managed to get our hands on a plane!! 23 June 2010 SECRET

Somewhere is Sunny Afghanistan -+- --+---+-- ..... -- --+----+---- ....--+--...-- -+-- ........ --+- Not quite the 46° that had been promised 23 June 2010 SECRET

C& W were building the Dishes -+- --+---+-- ..... -- --+----+----i---+--...-- -+-- One man and his oower tools © 23 June 2010 SECREt ........ --+-

Whilst in a warm( er) data centre -+- --+---+-- ..... -- --+----+----i---+--...-- -+-- ........ --+- All those wires needed putting back in the right place 23 June 2010 SECRET

And finally it all came together -+- --+---+-- ....-- --i----+----._ __ ...._ __ _.__-~-- ........ --+- A well earned photo opportunity for the team 23 June 2010 SECRET

RT-RG Deploys -+--+--+---.---+--+---~--+--+--+--+--+- ~ Same 5 rack solution that we started with 18 months earlier ~ 3/ 4 spoke sites configured at IOC ~ Final desktop issues resolved and so far the deployment has been a big success. 23 June 2010 SECRET

Area 82 today . . . . -~ - . -....----.-- --.- - -.....-- --.--- . . -111-- --..- . ---.-- . - ~- . --.- . ---..- Very different frotn when we started 18 tnonths ago 23 June 2010 SECRET . -