[ILUG] Re: WIT SMARTCARDS the info

[Bernard Tyers]

Hi Vincent and Luggers,

Here is a little summary of the WIT SMART card setup. I got talking to the
admin in the canteen today.

The system was invented by a guy working for "DPM Aegis" in Hitchin ,
near Luton in UK. 

The install is a cut down debian (presume the newest kernel). its a
hacked down kernel with the bare minimum of modules.

The way it works for the photocopier is:

each terminal is connected to the photocopier by serial connection. the
terminal then handles the transactions byy,

when someone swipes their card thru the mag reader, the terminal send a
request to the server runnin an oracle database, and asks it "how much
money does XXXXX have on their card", the server then sends back"X.XX
pounds", and then each time the server receives a copy pulse, it
decrements the amount from the card.

the oracle db also works with SQLnet encryption (i'm not fimilar with
databases, so forgive possible mistakes). that is al that is involved in
the copying process.

the printers are different. in each room they point to one tterminal. each
time a print job is requested, a header file is sent to the printer to
identify where it comes from. you can , in theory, go to one room , and
ask it to print to another printer in another room. 

the coke machines/vending machines work in a similar way to the copiers.
they will run linux, similar to other machines available. 

the tills for shop purchases will be running win95/nt (no jokes
now)..running propritary software..i think based on verisign certs (?)

i think thats all that is of interest. the smartcard admin is giving a
talk at the wit it week (plug plug) starting next week...

check the snet wite for more details (snet.wit.ie)

if anyone wants anymore info, i'll forward them on the admins address..


bye for now..

rgrds 

On Thu, 28 Oct 1999, Vincent Murphy wrote:

> = Bernard Tyers <btyers at snet.wit.ie> [19991028 1701]:
> > Just looking for information and giving some..
> > For those of you not in Waterford, WIT have introduced SMARTCARDS (i.e.
> > allowing students not to carry money, except in smatr card form...for
> > photocopiers/ shops/bank/ phones etc)....
> 
>  this sounds really impressive.  any idea who put in the system?  brands,
> company names or anything?
> 
> -vinny
> .
> 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
rgrds,
...bernard..
[Bernard Tyers*btyers at snet.wit.ie *snet.wit.ie/bbt]