Rasmussen wasn't surprised to find that few of the technologies tested in July in Hawaii had found their way to Indonesia six months later. But he still hoped to prove austere networks could make a difference in Indonesia—and, in so doing, improve future disaster relief efforts.

In particular, he hoped to test tools developed with the help of software supplier Groove Networks that could wirelessly replicate databases wherever they might be found.

After all, what could be more important than matching offers of assistance from around the world to requests for help? Or finding the doctors, logistics experts or other specialists who had come to the scene to help, but were not hooking up with the people who could put their services to use?

But getting into the Groove products was not easy.

Shortly after arriving in Banda Aceh, Rasmussen found himself standing in deep mud at a makeshift airfield that had been created out of a drenched soccer field. Forget communicating from one computer to another. With helicopters roaring overhead, just carrying on a face-to-face conversation with Gregg Nakano, the head of the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), was difficult.

The DART leader, who had worked with Rasmussen in Iraq, was charged with supervising the distribution of emergency aid, primarily through private charities like CARE and Save the Children. But he faced the same limitations: He was limited to cell phone communications—no access to Web sites, no e-mail, no radio communications.

He was scrounging for detailed maps and aerial photos that would show where the roads were still passable, and thus food and clean water could be sent by truck instead of helicopter.

In the Strong Angel model, any member of DART's relief team or any other relief organization would have maps or photos on their hard drive, for ready access.

With Groove, members of the network can see designated files on each other's laptop or desktop computers. When any member makes a change to any of the designated files, other members' copies of the files automatically update each time they connect to the network.

Next page: Technology Wasn't the Only Problem