Smart Service Queensland Information Systems and Green IT Strategies 2010

Submitted: 18/10/2010

Prepared by: Varun Kewal (Student No: W0103335) varun_kewal@hotmail.com

Word Count: 2,847 words

Letter of Transmittal

Green Tech Pty Ltd
23 Virtual Drive
Technology Park, QLD 4125

18 October 2010

The Director
Smart Service Queensland
37 Creek Street
Brisbane QLD 4000

Dear Ms Jeans,

Please find attached our report analysing the IT infrastructure for SSQ and value that can be added with the implementation Green IT strategies. As discussed with you in our meeting on 2 August, we have focused on the issues and challenges being faced by the current IT infrastructure and possible solutions.

We have paid particular attention to the IT Infrastructure Ecosystem in place and have provided a breakdown of the different hardware and software in place currently and what opportunities exist to make improvements to improve processing power as well as realise savings in the long run.

Our analysis highlighted that there are issues and challenges currently being faced due to the current IT Infrastructure in place. We recommend that you proceed with the replacement of current IT hardware that is nearly at the end of it’s 5 year cycle as already identified by the ICT Manager Steve Young. I wish to take this opportunity to thank Mr Young for making himself available to provide invaluable data to assist with this report.

We have also identified a number of ways where Green IT can help extend the life span of the current PC’s in place while optimising network capability. The impact IT has on the environment can no longer ignored and the benefits far out way the costs to implement Green IT strategies in the organisation. This is covered in further detail in the report.

Thank you for selecting and giving us the opportunity to work with you and your colleagues on this project. I am more the happy to field any questions or concerns that you may have at our next planning meeting in a week.

Yours sincerely,
Green Tech Pty Ltd.
Executive Summary

This report has been produced to analyse the current IT Infrastructure Ecosystem at SSQ and identify issues and challenges faced in regards to network capability and identify solutions through the implementation of Green Technology.

Faced with the challenge where most PC’s are nearing the end of it’s 5 year life cycle, the organisation is looking for cost effective solutions to implement upgrades while still be able to use current hardware on hand. An in-depth investigation was organised and undertaken looking at the seven major components that made up the IT Infrastructure Ecosystem. Careful consideration was given to the current platforms and operating systems in place as well as market research compiled on new technology and hardware that were readily available. Articles in periodicals were researched as well as meetings with the current IT manager held to gain good understanding.

A range of issues and challenges were identified through the investigation. Current telephony software is now redundant following the change to a new government approach. Most of the PC’s and hardware were near the end of their 5 year life cycle. Budgetary constraints leading to outdated hardware still in operation with patches in place. Experienced staff being poached to the private sector and replacements not having the exposure to all software in place and the pace at which change was taking place in the department.

Further analysis revealed that Green Technology could overcome of the issues and challenges being faced while also reducing the cost associated in operating and cooling the hardware. Recommendations to address some of the issues identified have been provided as well as implementation strategy.

Recommendations proposed are:
Implement thin-client servers which will allow the organisation to continue utilising the current PC’s as processing is handled by server and not hard drive on the PC. Reduction of power usage and lower maintenance costs due to fewer moving parts. Implementation ASAP.

Virtual imaging will free up IT support staff as they can operate from a central location without the need to update each PC on location. This will also reduce server numbers as greater efficiency can be achieved with greater utilisation of processing capacity. Reduction in power consumption due to few servers operating. To be implemented once thin-client servers in place.

Telecommunication strategy to be implemented to maximise benefits of NBN as well as reduce travel costs, time and impact to environment.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i

1. Introduction 1

2. IT Structure and Strategic Role 2 2.1 Internet Platforms 2 2.2 Computer Hardware 2 2.3 Operating Systems 3 2.4 Enterprise Software 3 2.5 Network 3 2.6 Consultants 3 2.7 Data Management 3 2.8 Issues and Challenges 3

3. Green Technology 5 3.1 Benefits to SSQ 6

4. Recommendations 6

5. Conclusions 7

LIST OF REFERENCES 8

APPENDICES

Appendix 1 - Journal 10 Appendix 2 – SSQ Organisational Chart 12

1. Introduction

Smart Services Queensland (SSQ) is a state government customer focused organisation setup to be the central contact point for any queries in regards to public services offered by the Queensland State Government. The department commenced operations in 2003 under the current banner as it was initially established as Access Queensland in 1999. It currently employs 380 full time staff in the different departments. The organisation is mirrored on a similar approach utilised in Canada where all Government services were provided through one contact number. The home URL for SSQ is www.qld.gov.au/smartservice.

SSQ is now located in the Department of Public Works on a permanent basis as initially, it would report to different government departments on a rotating 6 month basis. It has been setup to deliver government services to the general public through the Integrated Contact Centre (ICC) as well as provide cost savings to the government through economies of scale. Currently, SSQ offers 180 different services on behalf of the different government agencies and this number is set to increase as more agencies come on board.

SSQ’s corporate mission is “To provide the primary point of contact for Queenslanders to access government services through multiple delivery channels”. The current corporate structure has is displayed in Appendix 2 which gives a breakdown of the different departments within SSQ and how they complement each other. The ICC is the primary point of contact for all enquiries and the other departments within SSQ all work to provide input and support to ensure the highest possible service is provided to its clients at the lowest cost.

The ICC is where the bulk of enquiries are received with over 7 million enquiries being answered since its inception in 2003 and now averaging over 185,000 calls a month since July 2006. There are other means of making enquiries through either the internet or face to face counter service which is being rolled out across the State. With Queensland being a large state and government having to provide services to all its citizens, sometimes it is not cost effective to have a counter service where the population may be in the couple of hundreds. QGAP helps to overcome this problem where a local business will provide basic Government services for a fee which the State Government pays.

SSQ’s business strategy differs from private companies due to the environment it operates in. SSQ’s objective is to deliver value for money by making government services more accessible, efficient and convenient to the public and minimising service deliver costs for agencies and the government as a whole. It provides customer service for the different Government departments and charges for each enquiry answered at cost price. The department is not expected to make a profit but provide savings to the Government departments who would all have to duplicate the process within their own portfolios.

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The rest of this report will focus on the following:

• Section 2: IT Infrastructure Strategic Role. This will look at the current IT structure in place and identify issues and challenges being faced by the IT department. Explains the strategic role that IT plays in the SSQ organisation. • Section 3: Green IT. Explains what Green IT means and identifies current trends that have emerged. Will also look at the benefits and costs to the business from an implementation point of view. • Section 4: Recommendations. Recommendations on areas that Green IT can add value to the organisation. • Section 5: Conclusion.

2. IT Infrastructure: Issues, Challenges and Strategic Role.

SSQ has it’s own Technology and Infrastructure (T&I) which has three main focus areas. Risk and Compliance, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Operations and Business and Project Solutions. Their main role is to ensure the smooth operation of current hardware that is in place plus identify areas where improvements need to be made.

Analysis of SSQ’s IT infrastructure is as follows:

2.1 Internet Platforms:
SSQ use a number of different platforms which include Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 (IE8), Apache, UNIX, Cisco, Java and Tomcat. IE8 is the dominant software that is used for internet browsing and is loaded onto all staff PC’s as a default for the Windows program. The reason for such a diverse range of platforms being supported is that SSQ has to interface with the different departments databases and some of them are Legacy products which don’t support Internet Explorer. T&I also have to maintain the SSQ intranet which provides internal staff information on processes and procedures. 3G is also being explored as the next step in providing services to areas where it would not be cost effective to have a physical presence.

2.2 Computer Hardware:
Again, there are a number of different platforms in place. Majority of the servers in place are Microsoft Windows Servers (around 90%). This is due to the fact that it is locally supported and other departments are now coming on board with Microsoft as their preferred choice. Some servers also host Oracle, TNG, Linux and Solaris. Blade servers, due to their space saving feature, are also part of the network. Majority of the PC’s provided are from Dell and this is purchased outright rather than being leased. Intel is the choice for microprocessors. Senior management also have access to Blackberry’s or it’s equivalent to allow them to be in touch whilst being out of the office. Most PC’s are near the end of it’s 5 year life cycle.

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2.3 Operating Systems:
Microsoft XP is the current and dominant operating system in place for all PC’s. Again, this is due to the fact that it is supported locally and is very price competitive. Linux and Mac devises are also supported but this mainly for specialised programs or devices that are more stable on these programs. There is currently a project in place exploring the benefits of upgrading to Windows 7 which is based on the XP program.

2.4 Enterprise Software:
SSQ mainly deals with Oracle, Microsoft and SAP in this area. One problem that exists here is that across the different agencies, the versions of SAP differ which can make sharing data difficult at times. The main reasons for going with the above three is due to the fact they are well supported locally.

2.5 Networks:
For the phone lines, the companies Telstra and Optus are used. This eliminates the risk of losing all phone lines should one of the networks go down. The calls coming into the Integrated Contact Centre are predominantly on the Telstra network while Optus is used for corporate. For the hardware, Microsoft Windows Server, Linux and Cisco are used to link up the networks across the 3 sites CBD, Mt Gravatt and Zillmere.

2.6 Consultants:
Due to some Legacy hardware, IBM is retained as a consultant to look after the mainframes. Company named Iron Mountain is utilised for backing up data. It is cheaper to outsource this compared to storing data onsite. Lastly, in the case of a power outage, the UPS’s on site are sourced from and maintained by the company Chloride.

2.7 Data Management:
SSQ utilises Microsoft SQL servers to organise and manage he huge amount of data generated on a daily basis. There are 2 servers dedicated to this using a clustered arrangement. SANs is used to connect the servers with Iron Mountain the preferred company to store the data. In the event of a meltdown, the most that will be lost is an hour’s data from that day.

2.8 Issues and Challenges

With SSQ aiming to be the central point of contact for the Queensland Government, one of the challenges being faced is the phasing out of the skills based routing that is currently in place. With each agency having a separate contact number, it has been easy to divert the call via the routers to the correct area. In the near future, there will be only one contact number for the public to call on, no matter what agency they are wishing to deal with. Routing does not work here as the caller cannot be routed to the correct area due to the generic number being dialled (13 QGOV).
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Operating in the public service industry, the amount of money budgeted for IT creates challenges in the management of the department. The discrepancy between what is needed and what can be purchased can be vast at times. At times, software upgrades are forfeited or patches implemented to get a few more years out of the program.

Staffing is another challenge that the IT department faces. New recruits do not have the necessary exposure to the systems that SSQ have in place which has led to hackers being able to access confidential data. Once a staff member has some years of experience under their belt, they are poached by private companies who can offer better remuneration for their skills and experience.

Another issue is that the PC’s are nearing their end of life (5 year cycle). With the introduction of the software Ciboodle, this in itself, posed problems with PC’s unable to provide the amount of processing power this software required. New PC’s have been approved but until they arrive, this will remain and issue on a daily basis.

New software Ciboodle does not work with IE8 which is holding up the implementation of Windows 7. Windows XP still the operating software in place until a workaround is found for this problem.

Lastly, the pace of change is another challenge that faces IT. With any changes that are needed, a project group has to be setup to ascertain what the benefits are and if they are cost effective. This then creates another issue where the personnel selected to be par t of the project team do not have the necessary technical knowledge to make effective decisions.

Overall, IT infrastructure is vital to SSQ. On average, there are about 5000 calls received by the ICC and without the hardware, software and network in place, life in SSQ will be chaotic. Currently, calls come in and are then either handled by Customer Service Associates (CSA’s) or transferred to the correct department for further assistance. This is all done via PC’s with hard phones available as a backup. Other agencies databases need to be accessed and data uploaded. IT also has the job of finding better ways of doing business at a reduced cost. At times, they have made it possible for greater productivity with the same level of staff. An example of this is where staff can take on a number of services without having to move desks to action each request.

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3. Green Technology

In recent years, the term Green IT’s use has become more and more prevalent in business discussions. It is the study of current IT standards and practices and how to go about ensuring computing resources are better utilised. Not only is there benefit for the environment, but also for the bottom line with cost savings associated. With advances in hardware and software technologies making computers more affordable, organisations have not had to think about what they had in place, nor how efficiently the resources were being utilised but with the increases in cost of energy plus a greater awareness of environmental impacts, the current trend is to focus on some of the Green IT strategies.

Some of the trends are:
1. Incorporating Green IT benefits into the requirements of the tender process. Some organisations have added Green IT targets into its strategic management targets thus now forcing suppliers to start incorporating this into their products.
2. Telecommunication – instead of travelling to meetings either interstate or overseas, organisations are now starting to use this as a means of communicating and holding meetings. This has a beneficial impact on the environment with fewer carbon emissions. With the rollout of the NBN, this option has a lot of potential in the near future.
3. Making servers more efficient through programmes such as Suns Coolthread Technology. Less processing power means a savings on the cost of running and cooling the servers.
4. Thin Client Servers has a number of benefits. It works of the servers which mean that the PC does not need a hard drive, cooling fan or cd/dvd player. It also extends the life of PC’s that have reached their end of life thus delaying the need for an upgrade.
5. Use of software that will automatically prevent printing of pages that only have a footer on it. Programs such as Green Print software are available that will do this.
6. Configuring printers so that they print double sided. This saves paper and reduces costs incurred by the business. Some current printers do not have this capability.
7. Activating the power save function that is available on operating systems. This will allow the PC’s to hibernate or go into sleep mode after a certain period of inactivity. Currently, Windows XP does not have this feature.
8. Virtualisation – this will allow the current servers to be grouped and great efficiency gained from them. Currently, servers are utilised to between 20% – 30% of it’s full potential. By grouping them together (commonly known as grid computing), it will create a more powerful network while reducing power and cooling consumption.

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3.1 Benefits to SSQ

With SSQ being around 7 years old, it doesn’t have a huge amount of Legacy hardware which means that it can be more flexible in regards to future hardware and software acquisitions. By implementing Green IT policies now, it will realise cost savings in energy consumption as well as improved efficiency in performance. With future plans of acquiring more services from the different government agencies, the demand for IT capability will be greater. Improved productivity from employees as travel time to and from remote sites will be reduced which will mean more time spent on the job.

4. Recommendations

As reported previously, a thin-client strategy needs to be developed and implemented. With the current lot of PC’s near the end of life, instead of replacing them with faster machines, utilise thin-client to extend the working life by having the servers do the processing. Thin-clients and netbooks use 50% less power than the traditional desktop PC. Also, they are cheaper to build and to buy and maintain as they have minimal internal moving parts.

Implement Virtualisation strategy. This will pool the current lot of servers into virtual machines on a single powerful system. This will push the processing to the servers and reduce the power and cooling consumption that would have been used on the individual PC’s. Virtualisation will also help reduce the number of servers needed and again, reduce power costs associated with running and cooling. This and the above recommendation will go some way in alleviating the budgeting constraints the IT department faces as well as reduce the number of man hours needed to physically update each individual PC.

Replace old printers with new ones with double side printing capability. This also needs to be set as a default on all network printers in case users are not able to change their individual settings themselves.

Upgrade Windows XP to Windows 7 which has the capability to remotely set power saving initiatives. XP does not currently support this feature. Power consumption cost savings realised here.

Start to explore opportunities that will open up with the NBN rollout. Telecommunication will help eliminate travel time to remote areas, which will improve staff productivity, and reduce the need to have a physical presence thus freeing up resources that would normally be allocated to office space.

Add Green IT minimum standards in future tenders for IT requirements. This will quicken the uptake of any new energy saving technology by manufacturers if they want to win the contract.
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Explore the viability of acquiring and installing printing cost cutting software like Green Print. It will reduce the instances of the last page being printed as blank which will save paper and get more out of the ink cartridge.

Explore the option of installing new software technology that will make current servers operate more efficiently which will reduce operating and cooling power bills.

5. Conclusion

SSQ is a fairly young organisation being in existence since 2003. It has been continually expanding by taking on more services for other government agencies and has future plans are to take on more as the transition to a single contact number for the Queensland has begun. It is well placed to be able to obtain and implement Green Technology with very few Legacy systems in place.

Currently near the end of the life cycle for it’s PC’s, there is an excellent opportunity for the IT department to investigate thin-client and Virtualisation technologies. Operating within a limited budget, it has many options available to maximise current hardware in place. There have been a number of areas identified that can add efficiency and cost benefits to the organisation.

While the organisation is thriving well, it has capacity to take on more services as it’s current server usage is around the 20% - 30% of it’s full capacity. With plans to add onto the 180 services it currently handles, it is well placed to handle future expansion with the right IT infrastructure in place.

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List of References

Laudon, KC & Laudon, J 2010, Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm, 11th edn, Pearson Prentice-Hall, New Jersey

Grossman, E 2006, High Tech Trash: Digital Devices, Hidden Toxics and Human Health, Island Press, Washington

McFadden, FR, Hoffer, JA & Prescott, MB 2002, Modern Database Management, 6th edn, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey

Burnett, S 2010, Green IT in the Public Sector: Opportunities and Strategies for Long Term Benefits, viewed 28th September 2010, www.ovum.com

Smart Service Queensland 2008, Delivering to Queensland: SSQ Strategy 2008 – 2013, Seminar handout, Go Print, Brisbane

Smart Service Queensland 2007, Delivering to Queensland: SSQ Channel Managment Strategy for intergrated government service deliver 2007 – 2012, Seminar handout, Go Print, Brisbane.

Lipple, J 2009, Develop a Green IT Policy, viewed 28th September 2010, http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/archives/2009/09/develop_a_green_it_policy.html

Green Print, viewed 28th September 2010, http://www.printgreener.com/

Australian Computer Society 2007, Policy Statement o Green ICT, viewed 28th September 2010, http://www.acs.org.au/acs_policies/docs/2007/greenictpolicy.pdf

Greeninnovation - - Painting the Planet Green, Green IT saves Money, viewed 28th September 2010, http://www.greeninnovation.com.au/aboutGreenInnovation_GreenNews.html

Builder.au 2009, Reap the green IT benefits of thin client computing. Viewed 28th September 2010, http://www.builderau.com.au/strategy/architecture/soa/Reap-the-green-IT-benefits-of-thin-client-computing/0,339028264,339296624,00.htm

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APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Journal. Appendix 2: Organisational Chart for Smart Services Queensland.

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Appendix 1: Journal (Word Count 449)

Journal below outlines the activities that have taken place to source the information to prepare the report. Research was undertaken in a number of ways which included face to face meetings with the manager for the IT department, internet as well as the intranet, IT industry publications and previous reports released by SSQ.

2nd August 2010
Started new role at SSQ. Looked up intranet and obtained organisational chart as well as mission statement.

16th August 2010
Initiated email to helpdesk team leader Rommel Carlos requesting assistance and outlining reason for request. Immediate manager’s suggestion.

18th August 2010
Followed up with a phone calls and messages. No response.

20th August 2010
Sent email to Operations Manager for IT Lisa Martin, again making request for assistance and outlining reasons for doing so. Immediate manager’s suggestion.

25th August 2010
Followed up with a phone calls and messages. No response.

30th August 2010
Spoke to AXA IT Manager Shelton Cooper (my previous company) regarding my assignment. Stated will need to get back to me as needs to get authority.

31st August 2010
Shelton Cooper responded that could not help as I no longer worked for the company.

1st September 2010
Sent email Director of SSQ Dianne Jeans outlining reason for request and if she could get me in touch with the ICT Manager.

2nd September 2010
Response from Steve Young asking how he could assist.

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6th September 2010
Meeting to discuss IT infrastructure and what SSQ currently had in place. Asked for issues and challenges currently being faced as well as the strategic role IT plays in SSQ. Referred me to article in Courier Mail about Green IT. 2 hours.

11th September 2010
State Library – searched microfiche for article. No luck. 4 hours.

12th September 2010
Local Council Library. Went through APC magazines, located articles on thin-client and virtualisation technologies. 4 hours.

15th September 2010
Meeting with immediate manager to gain background of organisation. Offered me two seminar handouts with strategies and future plans in place. 2 hours.

21st September 2010
Spoke to Adrian Biddle regarding Ciboodle software. Used by CSA’s to answer queries on the phone. Main software used in ICC. Vital in actioning requests as well as providing scripting. 2 hours.

28th September 2010
Online research regarding Green IT. Found articles relating to Green IT in the public sector as well as others listed in reference above. Report based on European study. 5 hours.

7th October 2010
Follow up meeting with Steve Young to ascertain information captured is correct and accurate. Focused on what Green IT strategies currently in place and what projects were in place due to the near end of the 5 year life cycle of PC’s. 2.5 hours

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Appendix 2: Organisational Structure for Smart Service Queensland.

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