Agenda - 04-21-1998 - 9b - Laserfiche WebLink

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reviewed this request at their meeting on February 24, 1998. Their recommendation is attached, along with a spreadsheet reflecting the details of this request. The request, following the recommendation of the IT Committee, addresses three of the 5 IT -Plan initiatives, including County Network, Desktop Systems and Citizen and Board Access. The three initiatives described below are related. The network and desktop upgrade and replacement provide the solid infrastructure required for more effective communication and higher staff productivity. It will provide connectivity to the County network for all County departments/functions that have requested or been identified as needing connection. The access initiative improves external access to information, the beginnings of citizen interaction with the County using the Web and the foundation for higher staff productivity using a countywide Intranet. County Network The first initiative will result in completion this fiscal year of the County computer network. This includes connection of facilities not now connected to the network: Child Support Enforcement, Human Rights and Relations, Emergency Management Services, Animal Control, County Courthouse, Chapel Hill Senior Center and the Skills Development Center. It also addresses network reliability problems by replacing current connections to the Court Street Annex, Public Works and the Carr Building. New servers will be placed in Public Works and Emergency Management and servers relocated from other facilities will be placed at Chapel Hill Senior Center and the Skills Development Center. All servers will be upgraded to the current network operating system software version and the a-mail software system will be upgraded. Upgraded and new cabling will be installed at five facilities. Desktop Systems The desktop systems initiative includes installation of 85 PCs to replace existing systems. The IT Committee recommended at three-year replacement cycle, at the rate of 120 new systems per year starting in the current fiscal year. 35 of these were already acquired, as part of the urgent needs request approved in December. The remaining 85 of the 120 planned for this year are requested here. Software will be acquired to promote better integration of the standard Microsoft Office software on the desktop systems with legacy data on the mainframe system. Critical hardware and software limitations of the current GIS technology in land records will be addressed by this initiative as well. Citizen andBOCC Access This initiative will lead to implementation of an in-house countywide Web server to support better access to County data from outside the organization and to provide a platform for deployment of a County Intranet for better exchange of information across the network. The Phase IV proposal has been modified slightly from the version reviewed by the IT Committee on February 24, outlined as follows: • $18,000 added for "BOCC Automation", for either laptop or electronic display support for Board meetings. • $6,000 added for laptops urgently needed in Personnel and Planning for remote meeting usage.