TopGeorgia Technology Authority
Georgia Enterprise Technology Services (GETS) Update

Volume 2, Issue No. 19

September 17, 2010
technology graphic
How are we doing?  GTA holds meetings with agency leaders
 

At the beginning of September, we kicked off another round of meetings with the heads of each of our GETS full-service agencies.  So far, we have met with GBI, Corrections and DNR, and sessions with other agencies are scheduled over the next several weeks.

As you may recall, when we met with each agency back in February, we learned that while performance indicators were showing improvement, agencies saw a gap between metrics and their own experience.  We came away with useful information that led us to begin our customer experience program aimed at improving the service our customers receive. 

The meetings we are holding now focus on the resolution of previously identified issues and the status of each agency's operational projects and transformation activities.  With agency leaders, GTA and our service providers sitting at the table together, we are able to talk candidly not only about concerns and ways to address them but also the significant progress we continue to make. 

We appreciate your time for these meetings and 
your ongoing support. 
 
 
Patrick Moore
State Chief Information Officer
GTA Executive Director
 
Transformation update  
Transformation activities are under way throughout the IT enterprise.  Here's a quick rundown of the latest highlights:
 
Server consolidation - A total of 55 test, development and production servers have been moved to the new hosting environment at the State Data Center.  More moves are scheduled every weekend.  GBI is saving $1.9 million following migration to the AIX environment.
 
Server currency - We are stabilizing the legacy IT environment by identifying and replacing "at risk" servers.  With 264 servers currently in scope, 46 are now completed, 55 are in progress and 10 have been decommissioned.
 
End user computing refresh - End user computers and network printers are being refreshed on a regular basis (desktops and network printers every five years; laptops every three years).  More than 1,700 desktops and laptops were refreshed in FY 2010.  Another 6,100 are planned for the first half of FY 2011; so far, 790 have been refreshed.
 
Active Directory and e-mail - Several agencies are undergoing migration as we move to a single e-mail system:
 
Juvenile Justice
  • 2,740 users migrated to Active Directory (99%)
  • 39 mailboxes migrated to new enterprise e-mail system
 Office of Planning and Budget
  • 220 users migrated to Active Directory (100%)
  • E-mail migration beginning this month
 Driver Services
  • 16 users migrated to Active Directory
  • E-mail migration to begin in October
Back to top
Training, enhancements to improve the RFS process 
Staff in our full-service GETS agencies who are in charge of submitting Requests for Solution participated in a workshop this week to learn about recent improvements to the RFS process.  The changes aim to make the setting of priorities for RFS submissions more concise and transparent, and give more structure to the management of requests.
 
RFS submissions will be categorized by priority and complexity.  Factors contributing to a high, medium or low priority ranking include the agency's requested implementation date, approved and available funding, and key business drivers.
 
Categories also reflect the complexity of the request.
  • Complex:  Multi-vendor/platform, regulated data, coordination with third-party application vendor solution, new technology
  • Medium:  Single-vendor/platform, expansion of existing platforms, cascading move requests
  • Simple:  RFS submitted for end-user computing or moves because the quantity requested is 10 or more
Managing RFS submissions begins with each agency's RFS contact (or focal), who serves as the agency's RFS subject matter expert and ensures that the request is pre-qualified before it is submitted, including completion of the RFS Checklist.  The agency RFS contact tracks the request throughout the process and attends a bi-weekly meeting of all GETS agency RFS contacts.
 
Back to top
Georgia Digital Summit 2010
  • September 30 and October 1
  • Intercontinental Buckhead Atlanta
  • Only $25 for public-sector employees
  • Planned specifically for managers, executives and policy makers
  • For breakout session topics, keynote speakers and registration information, visit the Summit website 
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.
 opinGTA logo
In This Issue
Transformation update
Training, enhancements to improve the RFS process
Quick Links
GETS Activities
September/October
 
Internet migration
 
Active Directory migration
 
Preparations for
e-mail migration and consolidation
 
Application remediation
 
Preparations for server and storage consolidation
 
IT asset refresh