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 The City Of Scottsdale's Network Never Sleeps | ||||
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By Mona R. Litt Running a city government network is a lot like working for a large corporation. You have to get approval from many different groups for each decision, whether it involves hardware and software purchases or other technology choices, before you can even think of setting up a system. Of course, this slow process makes it a challenge to keep up with ever-changing technologies and applications. Brad Hartig, enterprise manager for the City of Scottsdale, Ariz., government, is all too familiar with the constraints, but he still manages to provide cutting-edge LANs and MANs (metropolitan area networks) to suit the government's every need, including the many requirements of his supervisors and the taxpayers. "Technology competes with all the other needs of government," Hartig explains. "It's very challenging to compete with decisions on whether to hire more police officers or build new roads. With the city growing as quickly as it is, technology will not reduce traffic or make streets safer." Despite the limitations, Hartig's team has managed to develop and maintain a strong network using technologies like ATM, frame relay and Ethernet, with TCP/IP as the protocol of choice. Frame relay is used on the MAN backbone for voice and data services. Scottsdale employees use Microsoft Corp.'s product line to keep operations on track, Hartig says. All workstations run Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Exchange, Microsoft Office/Office Pro and Schedule+ for administrative tasks and other purposes. The city uses ATM and MPOA (Multiprotocol Over ATM) to route IP and IPX. "With our capital programs, we cannot afford to rebuild the network," Hartig explains. "We need to make sure that it will last well into the future." The city government's Geographical Information Systems Land Information Services, a custom application, allows all staff members to access a virtual map of Scottsdale at their computers. With a point and click of the mouse, employees can download the map with accuracy to six inches. The application operates alongside Microsoft's SQL Server on a Compaq Computer Corp. ProLiant 7000 server. Hartig calls the city intranet "an information dissemination device" available to all departments citywide, allowing employees to gather information on budgets, news, community events, training, awards and forums with a few keystrokes. Cognos PowerPlay serves as the accounts receivable package, while Informix databases keep track of all city court activities, Hartig says. He plans to enhance the site by teaming up with more departments to develop new commerce applications, expected to be available within the year. These will, for example, enable residents to pay traffic tickets over the Internet. The city will soon upgrade the current 45-Mbps wide-area microwave link between the network's two campuses to a fiber optic OC-3 connection. For more information on the City of Scottsdale, Ariz., government, visit its Web site at www.ci.scottsdale.az.us. |
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