HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-11-19; City Council; ; Update on the City's Digital Information Network� CITY COUNCIL � Staff Report
Meeting Date:
To:
From:
Staff Contact:
Subject:
Nov. 19,2019
Mayor and City Council
Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Maria Callander, Director of Information Technology
Maria.Callander@carlsbadca.gov or 760-602-2454
Update on the City's Digital Information Network
Recommended Action
CA Review -+--'...........,._
Receive an informational presentation on the city's current digital information network and its
deficiencies, in preparation for a later presentation offering a proposed new and more robust
network.
Executive Summary
The city of Carlsbad currently contracts with an outside vendor for the digital information
network used by its employees. This service has not met the city's needs and expectations and
does not provide an adequate foundation for desired improvements and the city's anticipated
future demand.
Discussion
The network provides internet access, delivers email and powers many other critical business
applications used by the city. It is basically the essential pipes that carry the data and
information from one computer to another.
The demands on this system, known as a wide-area network, have steadily increased over the
years as the city's use of digital applications and data has grown.
Since 2016, the city has relied on a managed service provided under a contract for its wide-area
network. The benefits that had been expected from contracting out this vital service have not
been realized. City staff has noted the following deficiencies:
•Unreliability
•Significant delays in providing service, below what was promised
•Unscheduled outages
•Excessive need for city staff support to keep the system running properly
In addition, the network is outside the control of the city, so it cannot be readily adapted to
meet Carlsbad's anticipated future demand for a robust digital information network.
Nov. 19, 2019 Item #17 Page 1 of 2
The city needs a robust digital network to develop a unified communication system and provide
improved services to residents. Such a network would also provide the digital connectivity
needed to continue to make technology driven improvements to other elements of the city's
infrastructure.
Fiscal Analysis
This is an informational report only, so there is no fiscal impact from this item.
Next Steps
A second presentation on this topic will offer the City Council a proposed solution that staff
bel ieves would give Carlsbad the information technology infrastructure the city needs to
achieve its digital goals.
Environmental Evaluation (CEQA)
Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21065, this action does not constitute a "project"
within the meaning of CEQA in that it has no potential to cause either a direct physical change
in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment,
and therefore does not require environmental review.
Public Notification and Outreach
This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public
viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to scheduled meeting date.
Exhibits
None
Nov. 19, 2019 Item #17 Page 2 of 2
Update on the City’s Digital Information
Network
Joe Stephenson, IT Operations Manager
Maria Callander, IT Director
November 19, 2019
The Network Defined
•Enables critical business functions
•Analogous to “pipes” for data
•Local area network
•Wide area network
2
Historic Growth
•Number of devices and users have grown
exponentially in the last 20 years
•Demands have steadily increased
•Desktops to mobile devices
3
Recent Network Investments
•Additional Network Engineer approved in 17-
18 budget
•End of life replacements:
–Firewall device, November 13, 2018
–Local Area Network switching devices,
March 19, 2019
6
Present State
•Primary business network is provided by a
managed service
–High cost
–Service outages
–Limited capacity
–Service delays
–Staff support third party on a regular basis
7
8
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Looking Ahead
•Strategic forward looking model:
–Unified Communication System
–Traffic Management
–Advanced Metering Infrastructure
–Utility Systems
–Eliminate network silos
–Potential digital services
9
Next Steps
•Return December 10, 2019
•Present proposed solution
10
Questions?