Specific Explanation:
The Chief Information Officer recommends that City Council approve an ordinance to appropriate $850,000.00 from the Equipment Acquisition Consolidated Fund (1800) for the planned Data Center Refresh Project for Houston Information Technology Services. This project is budgeted in the approved FY2025 Capital Improvement Plan adopted by the City Council.
The project description with allocation amount is as follows:
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PROJECT
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PROJECT NO.
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AMOUNT
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Data Center Refresh
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x-680100*
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$850,000.00
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The data center provides critical infrastructure for running applications, storing data, and supporting cloud services. It's essential for handling IT operations and supporting online services. The data center houses numerous computer servers and networking equipment used to store, process, and manage a vast amount of data. The current hardware and software will be at end of life and require a refresh to remain manageable and supportable. This appropriation will allow for the planned purchase and replacement of data center infrastructure, including network devices, server systems, racks, security devices, and power infrastructure, which provide services to all departments supported by the City's data center. By moving the data centers to the cloud not only will align with the goal of cloud first where it makes business sense under the HITS strategic priorities, but also by moving from on-premise data centers to the cloud, this will reduce the number of data centers, provide higher levels of security and data integrity, connectivity and accessibility, reduced risk of data loss, and faster deployment. HITS will leverage cooperative contract(s) as well as current enterprise contract(s) for the purchase of professional services, maintenance services, hardware and software.
This recommendation is made pursuant to subsection 271.102(c) of the Texas Local Government Code, which provides that "a local government that purchases goods or services [from a cooperative purchasing program or organization] satisfies any state law requiring the local government to seek competitive bids for the purchase of the goods or services.
Fiscal Note:
No significant Fiscal Operating impact is anticipated because of these projects.
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____________________________________
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Lisa Kent, Chief Information Officer
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Houston Information Technology Services
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