someone is moving off I suspect expensive Sun or HP nix architecture to Intel based oracle RAC. That is reasonable but porting scripts would be negligable on linux and licensing fees for the pile would be cheaper. Gummint employee or contractor designed solution. Who ever designed it was getting stroked to make it so.
which in these days and times is a good thing. Have spent time on the federal teat where a new project gores the ox of a current vendor and they lobby for the contract to be cancelled and often get it done