Agenda item

With reference to article 32 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Corporate Governance which sought approval to proceed to tender for (1) a Managed Data Centre; and (2) delivery of a Virtual Desktop Environment (VDE).

By way of background the report advised that the draft ICT Technical Strategy had identified virtualisation, automation and consolidation as the key values regarding the future technical direction of the Council; and that both the Managed Data Centre and the introduction of a VDE would complement this approach. The report reminded members that central to the move to Marischal College was the reduction of workspaces, and the implementation of the ‘hot desk’ approach. As a result of this, ICT application and data delivery required to be smarter, and new ways of working required to be introduced.

In relation to the Data Centre, the report suggested that the Council adopt a Managed Data Centre model. In this, an external organisation would be responsible for ensuring that the appropriate technology, together with efficient and effective processes was deployed.  This organisation would have access to the appropriate resources to meet the needs and demands of the Council regardless of the volume of work, or the extent of the specialist skills and knowledge required. The report advised that this approach would (a) allow the Council to reduce the cost of delivering ICT services in the medium and long term; (b) provide productivity benefits; (c) improve the service delivery; and (d) offer limited bottom line savings.

In relation to the VDE, the report explained that in the ‘hot desk’ environment that would be adopted in Marischal College, a VDE would ensure the most efficient use of space by allowing the same person to use a different desktop device every day, by providing access to all applications and settings at the point of logging on to the computer. With this technology, the desktop would be accessed at a central location where all the processing was carried out. The report highlighted that this approach would (1) increase user productivity as a result of more stable PC or laptop environment and a faster logon time; (2) improve security of the PC and laptop environment; (3) increase flexibility as to where staff can work from; (4) require significantly less processing power, and therefore reduce the carbon footprint of the Council; and (5) result in computers only having to be replaced when they were beyond economic repair, rather than due to performance reasons. The report indicated that other organisation who had implemented VDE, had witnessed a significant reduction in the resources and costs required to support the desktop environment.

Further to a question from the Committee, officers explained that a further benefit to the VDE was the way in which printing could be managed. When a member of staff or Councillor wanted to print a paper, rather than the instruction being sent to one specific printer, it would go to a generic list, and then could be printed from any printer by entering a pin number. Officers advised that this method would not only make it much more convenient to print, but would also increase security and confidentiality.

Further to a question from the Committee regarding the cost of implementing VDE, the Head of Service Design and Development confirmed that there would be no additional hardware required, and that the only additional costs associated with this project, would be at the point of rolling out full remote facilities.

Appended to the report were the business cases in respect of the Managed Data Centre and the Virtual Desktop Environment.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee

(a)       instructs officers to proceed to a formal tender for a Managed Data Centre facility; and

(b)       instructs officers to go out to tender for the delivery of a Virtual Desktop Environment.

Further to discussion, the Convener, seconded by Councillor Dunbar, moved:-

            that the Committee approves the recommendations.

Councillor Graham, seconded by Councillor Laing, moved as an amendment:-

that, as the risk of providing a Managed Data Centre includes (a) data security and  Government compliance concerns; (b) a lack of control over upgrades and roll backs; (c) demarcation issues between the Council and the vendor; (d) concerns over the Council’s ability to move over to another provider at the end of the contract period; (e) a difficulty in being able to move back to an inhouse service if desired at a later date; and (f) the cost of analysis for the Managed Data Centre having an error margin of plus or minus 30% for the annual service fee, the Council proceeds to provide a Council owned facility, as agreed by the former Continuous Improvement Committee of 9 December, 2008 (article 18 of the minute refers).

On a division, there voted:-  for the motion (10) – the Convener;  the Vice Convener;  and Councillors Corall, Cormack, Cormie, Dunbar, Leslie, McCaig, John West and Yuill;  for the amendment (3) – Councillors Crockett, Graham and Laing;  declined to vote (1) – Councillor Farquharson; absent from the division (1) – Councillor Cassie.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the successful motion.