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Computer-controlling Airmen link base, cyberspace at Balad NCC

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stacy Fowler
  • 332nd Air Expditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq --  World-wide computer connectivity has become the lifeblood of today's armed forces. Emails, shared drives and networked computers have replaced typewriters, phone calls and 8-inch floppy disks in the day-to-day completion of the mission.

In a deployed environment like Joint Base Balad, network access not only ensures mission continuation, but also higher levels of morale while off duty.

Getting a good connection, however, is different than one might find at home.

"A lot of people might think that we are just hooked into a jack in the wall like at home - or on a wireless connection," said Senior Airman Dale Richardson, 332nd Expeditionary Communication Squadron Network Control Center system administrator, deployed from the 43rd Communication Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, N.C. "It would be nice if it was that simple! But it's a lot more complicated."

Unfortunately, getting good connectivity to cyberspace from Balad relies on more than just an Ethernet cable or a wireless network card.

When it comes to getting the connections required by a base of thousands, connectivity follows a chain: starting with a signal in the invisible cyberspace, funneled through the satellites circling the earth to the server farm at Balad, and finally ending at your desktop.

"It's pretty complicated, but that is the simplest way to explain how you can click on the Internet button or the Inbox on your desktop and be connected," said Staff Sgt. Jamal Kareem, 332nd ECS NCC network administrator, deployed from the 100th Communication Squadron, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, UK. "A server is actually just a big computer, with more internal storage space compared to your desktop computer. We have many servers that all have different purposes. For example, the email servers are responsible for sending, receiving and storing your email. Another example is the proxy server, which blocks you from unauthorized websites."

These servers are housed in closed air-conditioned facilities, because just like regular-sized computers, servers are susceptible to heat and dirt - two common items found in a desert environment. The staff of the NCC constantly tries to head off any potential issues caused from the environment, especially overheating.

"Servers put out a lot of heat, and if they overheat it could damage the entire system," said Sergeant Kareem, a native of Safford, Ariz. "We can't afford to have that happen."
If there is an issue, NCC personnel work closely with the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Electrical and Heating, Vacuum and Air Conditioning Flights to get it fixed quickly.

"There is a lot going on with those servers, which makes it a very high priority to keep them up and running," said Master Sgt. Duane Cruz, 332nd CES Electrical Systems Flight section chief, deployed from the 99th Civil Engineer Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev. "When needed, HVAC installs more air conditioning units, and we make some adjustments so power is good to go."

When there is a server issue, the NCC is more than aware of the situation and will already be working on a solution before a customer can pick up the phone. Fixing the problem isn't like flicking a switch - it takes time, said Sergeant Kareem.

So when the call goes out that servers will be going down in a few minutes, you can be assured that it is already being taken care of, and it will be back to normal as soon as possible. Linking the Balad workforce to cyberspace isn't easy, but the people in the NCC help make the connections possible.