Georgia Enterprise Technology Services (GETS) update, Vol. 2, Issue 17 (Aug. 20, 2010)

Georgia Enterprise Technology Services (GETS) Update
Volume 2, Issue No. 17

August 20, 2010

In This Issue
Consolidated e-mail system offers new features, reliability
and security
New GTA Web page makes invoicing information more
accessible
Encryption strengthens data security for laptop and tablet
computers

Next step: E-mail consolidation
In recent newsletters, we have brought you up to date on the progress we are making in transforming the state's IT enterprise and the benefits you are seeing as a result. Migrations to new, consolidated server environments are reducing agency costs. Re-engineering the state's wide area network has enhanced security while increasing capacity and reliability. End-user refresh is providing agency employees with newer, faster and more reliable desktop, laptop and tablet computers.
I am pleased to report progress in another area of the state's IT transformation: e-mail consolidation. Like other technology transformations, a single e-mail system for the full-service GETS agencies will increase security and reliability while enabling new features and functions, including an expanded e-mail address book. Your agency will also benefit from greater

Briefly...
Quick Links
Previous Newsletters GTA Web Site
GETS Customer Resource Center
GETS Financial and Billing Resource Center GETS FAQs
GETS Activities

cost efficiency. The Department of Juvenile Justice began its e-mail migration this week, and the Department of Driver Services and the Office of Planning and Budget are scheduled to begin their migrations in the fall.
We understand how critical e-mail communication is to your business, and we are taking every measure to see that the transition goes as smoothly as possible. We are even providing Frequently Asked Questions so employees know what to expect and easy-to-follow instructions to help them prepare for the transition to an upgraded e-mail system.
To learn more, I encourage you to read the article in this issue of GETS Update.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Patrick Moore State Chief Information Officer GTA Executive Director

August/September
Internet migration
Active Directory migration
Preparations for e-mail migration and consolidation
Application remediation
Preparations for server and storage consolidation
IT asset refresh
Disaster recovery workshops and exercise

Consolidated e-mail system offers new features, reliability and security
Three of the full-service GETS agencies are moving forward with their migration to the state's new consolidated e-mail system, which also entails Active Directory and BlackBerry migrations. The transition to a single Microsoft Exchange system will bring new features and greater reliability and security. The single system will replace nine Microsoft 2003 and three Novell GroupWise systems currently operated by agencies.

The process begins with Active Directory, which contains users' log-in information for accessing applications and allows users to search for e-mail addresses of colleagues in other agencies. The Department of Juvenile Justice is nearing the completion of its Active Directory migration, and the Department of Driver Services and the Office of Planning and Budget began the process this week. The Department of Revenue and the Governor's Office are scheduled for migration later this year, with migration of remaining full-

service GETS agencies occurring in 2011 and 2012.
Helping employees prepare for a new e-mail system
E-mail migration follows Active Directory for each agency, beginning with DJJ. Well in advance of e-mail migration, agencies receive a series of communications and resources to help their users in preparing their emailboxes for migration. Information about preparing for the upgrade is also available on the GETS Customer Resource Center page on the GTA Web site. The instructions help users organize and clean up their e-mailboxes to ensure that the most recent or most important e-mails will be migrated. Users are able to create personal folders for e-mail storage to accommodate new emailbox size requirements. Assistance is also available for BlackBerry migration, which takes place about the same time as e-mail migration.
GTA's service delivery consultants and IBM client solution advocates are working closely with agency leads to coordinate each phase.
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New GTA Web page makes invoicing information more accessible
Access to invoices online. Answers to questions about billing and service level agreements. Web-based training. All of these are available through the new GETS Financial and Billing Resource Center on GTA's Web site.
Agency staff can find what they need on a single page, organized much like the recently launched GETS Customer Resource Center.
GTA will continue to expand the Financial and Billing Resource Center to include more information to assist GETS agency staff involved in invoicing and budgeting.
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Encryption strengthens data security for laptop and tablet computers
Ensuring greater security for the state's information systems is a critical part of the technology transformation now taking place. Data on laptop and tablet computers is especially vulnerable since these devices can be lost or stolen. Accordingly, data encryption software is being installed on laptop and tablet computers in full-service GETS agencies. The encryption process converts data so it cannot be read by unauthorized individuals.
Frequently Asked Questions explaining what laptop and tablet users can expect were recently added to GTA's Web site.
Encryption software is automatically downloaded and installed on computers using Dell Desktop Manager. GTA successfully completed a pilot rollout of encryption software in June.
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Briefly...
Several enhancements to the Service Catalog have been implemented in response to input from OrderNow! focus groups.
A list of the most recent changes appears on the GTA Web site. We will keep you posted as we continue to improve the usability of the Service Catalog.
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q September 30 and October 1 q Intercontinental Buckhead Atlanta q Only $25 for public-sector employees q Planned specifically for managers, executives and policy makers q For breakout session topics, keynote speakers and registration
information, visit the Summit Web site Back to top
We welcome your comments about service delivery, the state's IT transformation and related topics. You can submit comments online or call our toll-free number to leave a recorded message.
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