A story of trust, ceremony, and how robots change bosses without even knowing it
A business might keep robots for 15+ years. In that time, the original Commander (SM-SR) might become too expensive, too slow, or simply go out of business. SGP.02 had a clever plan: what if you could switch Commanders without ever touching the physical robots?
The SM-SR change is a careful ceremony. The old Commander and new Commander agree on transfer terms. The EIS database (the master list of every robot) gets copied to the new Commander. New SCP80 keys are installed so the new Commander can talk to the robots safely.
The EIS database (robot identities, ISD-P status, network assignments) moves to the new Commander. New SCP80 secret keys arrive so the new Commander can talk securely. But the profiles: the actual network keys inside each robot: they stay right where they are, untouched by the changeover!
Before the handover is final, both Commanders test everything. The new Commander sends test signals through the ISD-R channel. The EIS is checked robot by robot. Only when everything passes does the old Commander retire. If something fails, you can roll back to the old Commander!
The SM-SR change is one of SGP.02's most elegant designs. By splitting the Commander (SM-SR) from the Key Factory (SM-DP), the standard lets you change either without touching the other. A business could change Commanders three times over 15 years: and all 100,000 robots would just keep working!