Georgia Enterprise Technology Services (GETS) update, Vol. 2, Issue 5 (Mar. 5, 2010)

Georgia Enterprise Technology Services (GETS) Update
Volume 2, Issue No. 5

March 5, 2010

In This Issue
Transformation activities under way
GTA furlough on March 5
Briefly...

MNS credits given to GTA customers for erroneous bill
If you receive voice services through GTA, the bill you received in February included important information about credits GTA negotiated for agencies.

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Previous Newsletters GTA Web Site GETS FAQs
GETS Activities

We previously announced that we discovered errors in AT&T's inventory of basic and premium voice ports. These errors led us to dispute the invoices for November and December 2009 on behalf of agencies. In addition, agencies were not billed for the disputed services for January 2010.

Agencies will be credited for November and December 2009. AT&T is paying $648,700 in credits to agencies for each month. The credits

apply to all Key and PBX customers for basic and premium voice ports identified as 999999 cost centers. The credits, which were noted in the invoice agencies received in February, are permanent; there will be no attempt to recover any portion of the credits in the future.

March
Internet traffic migration to AT&T security

Due to errors, AT&T is conducting new inventories of these cost centers. After agencies have verified their new inventories, AT&T will be authorized to bill for basic and premium voice ports and to make corrections in arrears where appropriate. Agencies are advised to encumber funds equivalent to the amount they were billed in December 2009 to ensure funds are available to cover any corrections.

Application remediation workshops
Preparations for e-mail migration and consolidation

The credits resolve billing issues for November and December, and the new inventory will resolve billing issues going forward. We will continue to work to ensure accurate billing and efficient service delivery.

Preparations for server and storage consolidation

Thank you for your ongoing support.

IT asset refresh

Patrick Moore State Chief Information Officer GTA Executive Director

Disaster recovery planning

Array of projects comprise transformation activities

Since it began, our transformation has focused on transitioning the existing IT environment. Now, our focus shifts to changing the environment and the way it operates, from the route data travels to how it is stored. Agencies will continue to play an important role by helping to provide oversight and strategic direction.
How are we transforming the environment? Key principles - security, reliability and recovery - are guiding the architecture. The new design will bring several benefits:
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Simplify the environment through standardization, consolidation and virtualization.
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Maintain and support efficiencies with modern technology and centralized management.
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Improve security to comply with federal standards.
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Build an enterprise environment that maintains agency autonomy while protecting data.
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Improve recoverability through data consolidation, real-time replication and off-site storage/retrieval.
Integrated consolidation projects
Some projects are the responsibility of one service provider. For example, IBM is responsible for the deployment of server tools, asset management and refresh of end-user computing equipment, while AT&T is responsible for projects such as WAN, Internet and security migration, PBX/Key system refresh and videoconferencing.
Other projects, known as integrated consolidation projects, require work and coordination from both service providers. Certainly, agencies play a key role in all projects, and planning meetings and workshops are already under way. A roll-out approach has been developed, with activities outlined for

each wave, or phase, of the project, from agency pilots to full implementation.
Here are the integrated consolidation projects, listed according to provider with primary responsibility:
IBM
GETS Hosting Environment We have moved from a shared hosting environment to dedicated agency hosting environments, which consolidates technology but enables agencies to own their data and business practices. Agency networks are being extended through virtual WANs, and security is being increased.
Server and Storage Consolidation (SCON/STORCON) The objective is to create a shared enterprise computing environment that will enable agencies to realize cost savings over time, stay current with hardware and software server technology, leverage best practices for infrastructure services management and secure confidential information. Before servers can be moved to the North Atlanta Data Center (NADC), application remediation must take place. An IBM project manager will assist each agency.
Group Ware (Active Directory, E-mail/BlackBerry, File & Print) Fully served GETS agencies will migrate to an Exchange 2007 messaging platform between July 2010 and April 2011. Using a single platform will result in greater availability and reliability and enable an enterprise-wide address book. Agency end users will receive 90 days notice to prepare their mailboxes for migration.
AT&T
Capitol Hill Network Remediation AT&T will separate traffic for fully served agencies on the Capitol Hill network in preparation for firewall migration, consolidation of services to the NADC and Capitol Hill network redesign. The change will increase redundancy and security.

Managed Security Node/Managed Internet Services Implementing security nodes and shifting agency Internet traffic from the NADC to the AT&T network will decrease bottlenecks while increasing capacity and redundancy. Migration of Internet traffic to AT&T security will occur on March 14. As pilot agencies, DJJ, DDS and OPB will migrate to the AT&T network between April 18 and May 30.
DNS/DHCP and IP Address Management Servers for IP address management will be located at the NADC, with secondary servers in Boulder, CO. The project also will involve resolving any duplicate IP addresses. DJJ, DDS and OPB servers will move to the NADC between April 25 and July 12.
Transformation kick-off meeting
GTA, IBM and AT&T will host a transformation kick-off meeting for agencies on April 21. More details will come soon. If you are interested in attending, please contact your GTA Service Delivery Consultant.
The GETS Update will continue to feature articles and information about our progress on these projects. In addition, the Agency Advisory Council, which meets bi-monthly, focuses solely on transformation issues at its second meeting each month.
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GTA furlough on March 5

The Georgia Technology Authority is closed on Friday, March 5, as one of our employee furlough days due to the state's budget situation. The state's technology service providers are not affected by the furlough and are operating as usual on Friday. If you need assistance, please contact the Consolidated Service Desk toll-free at 1.877.GTA.3233 (1.877.482.3233).
GTA has two additional furlough days scheduled for April 23 and May 28.
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Briefly...
Laptop and tablet computers being ordered as part of the end-user computing refresh plan are bundled with an e-port, or docking station, the same configuration available in the Service Catalog (OrderNow!). This standard eport will not support parallel printing interface devices (non-USB printers and peripherals). Non-standard e-ports cannot be ordered by the refresh team.
If you have questions, please contact your GTA Service Delivery Consultant.
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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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