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The Host Computer System (HOST) used to be the backbone of the US air traffic control centers (ARTCCs). There was a lot of publicity early in 2015 about the En-Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) fully replacing it, as the FAA announced they were finally finished implementing ERAM. However, deep in the FAA website, the HOST system still seems fairly active.

I just want to clarify if it is fully out now. Is it still available as a backup? Do certain ATC systems still draw from HOST systems? Do controllers still use certain HOST systems?

Overall this is a pretty technical question, but any information is helpful.

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  • $\begingroup$ "deep in the FAA website, the HOST system still seems fairly active." Where? $\endgroup$
    – user14897
    Commented Jul 7, 2016 at 23:40
  • $\begingroup$ There are descriptions of the various air traffic control systems in the faa website, but it takes a login to view them. Basically, they imply (and also explicitly say) that the HOST system is still in service. I think they must still be decommissioning it. $\endgroup$
    – Miles Johnson
    Commented Jul 7, 2016 at 23:46

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From this news article dated April 30, 2015:

"As of today, Host is history," FAA Administrator Michael Huerta declared during a press conference.

From the latest NextGen report dated June 2016:

In March 2015, the 20 planned ERAM sites achieved operational readiness, which signified the full commissioning of ERAM into the NAS and allowed the FAA to begin decommissioning the legacy HOST system.

So, it is fully out, it is not available as back-up, and no ATC system uses Host.

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I was lucky enough to work a career that spanned all three systems:IBM 9020, IBM 3083 (HOST) and ERAM.

HOST is no longer in use even as a backup. The backup system used to be a stand alone system called DARC (Direct Access Radar Channel). ERAM has a redundant channel of supposedly identical hardware and software as a "back up". This is problematic though. I believe the current ARTCC system uses the original DARC software hosted on the display channel (DSR) as backup.

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  • $\begingroup$ Between the IBM 3083 and ERAM, there was the original DSR system, which used the HOCSR (HOST/Oceanic Computer System Replacement) using the token-ring setup with an IBM RISC 6000 at each control position. The 6000s were originally part of the Sector Suite fiasco, but were released back to IBM. They sat in a warehouse for 12 years, then IBM sold them to the FAA again for DSR. $\endgroup$
    – atc_ceedee
    Commented Aug 17 at 19:18
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    $\begingroup$ Actually, DSR was Display System Replacement which was the replacement for Central Display Complex (CDC). CDC did nothing but do graphics processing. The original 9060, HOST (IBM 3083) and ERAM did all the flight data and surveillance processing. $\endgroup$
    – Iain
    Commented Aug 18 at 21:19
  • $\begingroup$ @lain, you're absolutely right, but I'll leave my comment up, for the RISC 6000 (they really did get sold to the FAA twice). Were you automation, perhaps? $\endgroup$
    – atc_ceedee
    Commented Aug 20 at 18:00
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    $\begingroup$ I was ATC but got into the automation stuff mid career just out of curiosity. I did a few years contracting as an ERAM subject matter expert when I retired from ZSE. $\endgroup$
    – Iain
    Commented Aug 21 at 19:20

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