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40 <br /> PRIORITY LEVEL THREE <br /> Location of Geographic Information Systems: <br /> Currently, GIS is decentralized with staff in both the County Planning and IT Departments. As the <br /> criticality of GIS to all departmental and enterprise functions has increased, the location and reporting <br /> structure for the GIS division should be examined. Comparing Orange County with peer counties, <br /> based on size, the scope of GIS work, and the staffing within the GIS division, the most common <br /> location for GIS is within the Information Technology Department or as a stand-alone department. <br /> The County should consider the relocation and restructuring of the GIS department to facilitate <br /> greater service delivery to the various internal departments and external customers of the County. <br /> Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (Desktop Virtualization): <br /> Virtualization, as a technology, is fast becoming an in-demand technology solution for local <br /> governments. It allows for local governments to maximize current resources, which is an attraction in <br /> these challenging budgetary times. Virtualized Servers and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) <br /> provide a quick response to the business needs of the organization. These projects also reduce the <br /> cost of business continuity planning and solve major security issues within the organization. <br /> Virtual Desktops can extend the lifecycles of existing computers. Current desktop lifecycles are two to <br /> three years. By implementing a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), computer lifecycles can be <br /> extended to five years or more. Desktop Virtualization will simplify the management of desktop <br /> computers. Virtual Machine (VM) Images can be created based upon the user and departmental <br /> needs. These images are stored on a central server and can be installed (pushed) onto desktop <br /> computer remotely. Desktops can be updated without having any downtime. VDI also saves money by <br /> reducing the amount of computing capacity that is needed for each desktop, which results in lower <br /> requirements for computing which then lowers overall energy cost for the organization. Furthermore, <br /> the VDI model is likely the most realistic mechanism to support "bring your own devices" (BYOD) <br /> approach that many staff desire. In this approach, the individual employees utilize their own devices <br /> (laptops, smart phones, tablets) and access the County's resources through a secure Virtual Desktop <br /> environment. The secure environment is not only critical to the integrity and security of data within <br /> the County's systems, but also makes the BYOD model tenable for IT support of those various devices. <br /> Standardization of Applications and Data: <br /> As the County continues to invest in technology to gain efficiencies, increase effectiveness, and <br /> enhance transparency and accountability, standardization becomes more critical. Stand-alone <br /> systems are still being used across Orange County departments, limiting the utility and cross- <br /> functionality of data sharing and importation between business units, especially between like <br /> functions such as permitting and inspections or tax. Orange County should seek to standardize as <br /> 38 <br />