HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-Consideration of the Purchase of Reliability Enhancement Software and HardwareAgenda Item # 12
ACTION
To: Board of Directors
From: Ian Fitzgerald
Date: January 16, 2013
Subject: Consideration of the Purchase of Reliability Enhancement Software
and Hardware
1. WHY THIS MATTER IS BEFORE THE BOARD
Board approval is required for expenditures in excess of $15,000.
2. HISTORY
In April of 2012, the Board of Directors approved the purchase of new virtual server
hardware and software to replace the District's aging computer servers. The system,
as designed, is now operating most of the District's servers in a high availability,
redundant environment. The system has shown to be resilient even when individual
computer parts have failed.
Recent experiences with physical servers have shown that applications down for even
24 hours can have negative impacts on customer service, revenue generation and
system operations. In addition, all of the District's servers and applications exist only
in our main office building.
3. NEW INFORMATION
Earlier this month, one of our older physical servers, which had not yet been
transferred over to the high available virtual environment, had a major failure. Due to
this failure, the computer and all the data on this computer could not be recovered
easily. This server was one of the District's most critical assets, in that it held our
customer information, billing and accounting, and payroll systems.
Due to the design of our new virtual environment, and the District's stringent
procedures to backup data offsite, this server was able to be rebuilt in the high
available virtual environment, and brought back online with zero loss of data within 24
hours. Considering the older technology the District was using, this was an amazing
feat. However, there was still a full work day lost from using the data or the system,
which had an impact on customer service, and coincided with one of the District's
power outages.
With the development of our high available virtual environment, along with the buildout
of our SCADA reliability communication to District sites like the Martis Valley
Substation, the District now has the means to replicate our server environment at a
second remote District property. By having an offsite virtual environment, completely
in sync with the environment at the District offices, not only will the District be able to
store all data offsite, but should anything happen to the District building, all servers,
configurations, settings, and data will be available to access instantly from the Martis
Substation site, with zero downtime, and zero impact on our ratepayers.
The proposed unified computing system (hardware and software) is from NetXperts,
the same company which our original virtual environment was purchased from. This
would ensure there was one point of contact for all IT infrastructure support, ensure
communication between hardware devices is proven, and allow for quicker
implementation and higher confidence in the final build out.
Section 3.08.060 of the District's code (Joint Purchasing with the State of California
and other public agencies) permits the District to take advantage of other agencies low
bids providing that competitive procurement procedures were followed. The costs
proposals are submitted on both the California Multiple Award Schedules (CMAS) and
the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA), which both adhere to this section of
the District code. Netxperts Inc. exist on the current CMAS vendors list.
Proposal put forth by NetXperts
NetXperts has put together a WSCA/CMAS quote that will handle all the District's
offsite server requirements for the next 10 years. This design will provide offsite
disaster recovery and failover redundancy, allowing for future scalability and growth.
CMAS Contract (NetXperts)
• Cisco UCS Environment & Inexpert Professional Services = $161,020
WSCA Contract (HFtech Services, Inc)
• EMC Storage Server & Virtual Software = $71,898
4. FISCAL IMPACT
Sufficient funds exist in the FY12/13 Budgets for the purchase of an offsite reliability
enchancement software and hardware.
There is also a 5% contingency allowance for any potential change orders.
5. RECOMMENDATION
Approve the purchase of the proposed server hardware and professional services
through NetXperts for the amount of $232,918.39, plus a 5% contingency, not to
exceed $244,564.31.
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Stephen Hollabaugh
Assistant General Manager
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Michael D. Holley
General Manager