The procurement process will kick-off at the end of 2009, with work set to begin in mid 2011.
“We have over 130 data centres and migration will probably take about 10 years because there are many factors to consider including energy requirements,” said Rodriguez.
“Health and the Department of Education and Training, our mega agencies, have already committed to be anchor tenants for the two data centres,” he added.
The NSW government’s CIO office falls under the Commerce department, which Deputy Premier Carmel Tebutt oversees.
Tebutt is also the NSW Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, a boon for the state’s data centre rationalisation initiative and greener direction, said Rodriguez.
“We’re going to push the green agenda as far as we can,” he added.
“Consolidation will deliver more up-to-date facilities, and increase efficiency, security and ultimately consume less power.”
The federal government also plans to streamline the number of data centres its largest departments and agencies rely on.
British efficiency expert Peter Gershon has found that if current management of the federal government’s 50 data storage centres continued unchanged, it would cost the Commonwealth AUD$1 billion (US$614 million) more than necessary over 15 years. The savings are in tandem with NSW’s expectations.
Meanwhile, ‘People First’, the state’s ambitious plan to consolidate IT procurement and deliver cost savings of millions of dollars, is on track despite earlier hiccups. The project is set to deliver cost savings of AUD$565 million (US$348 million) by July 2010, he said. “The plan is to remove as much duplication as possible,” he said.
Details on IT spending could be revealed at the state’s upcoming mini-budget, but Rodriguez said he had not asked for extra funding.
“I don’t think it’s the right time to ask for a budget increase. Why do so when we could do much more with much less?” said Rodriguez.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Amelia Kwok
Quelle/Source: FutureGov, 30.10.2008
