Statewide WAN Assessment

Expenditure and Facilities Assessment, Validation and Analysis

Department of Information Resources
March 29, 2005

Statewide IT Assessment
Frequently Asked Questions
WAN Consolidation

1. What is the "Statewide IT Assessment Project" and what are the goals?
The Assessment addresses the requirements of the Legislative Budget Board's Staff Performance Report to the 79th Legislature. The report required DIR to conduct an IT Assessment study on measurable impacts and savings from consolidating data center services. Based on this Statewide IT Assessment of independently managed data centers and wide area networks (WANs) within selected agencies, DIR has also decided to complete an assessment to identify potential efficiencies that can be achieved through a statewide consolidation of these WAN operations.

2. What targeted WAN functions were assessed?
The scope of the WAN Assessment includes a total of 16 data networks within 13 state agencies, including the consolidated DIR WAN services group, the consolidated telecommunications system (TEX-AN) services at DIR.

3. What agencies were reviewed?
The agencies reviewed for this Assessment are listed in the Agencies Reviewed for the Statewide WAN Assessment Project document.

4. What is the total annual WAN spending for the scope of the Assessment for the agencies reviewed?
The total WAN staffing and expenditures for the 16 agency networks reviewed was $37.7 million and 124 FTEs. An additional $20 million for long distance voice services was also identified.

5. How much can the state save if agency network operations are consolidated?
Though small savings are found in WAN operations consolidation, greater savings and efficiencies were identified in the future consolidation of voice and data operations through the implementation of network convergence technologies. Consolidated WAN operations will accelerate network convergence and implementation of VoIP technology.

There is no recommendation for WAN consolidation at this time; however, DIR will continue to look for savings on an agency-by-agency basis. As a statewide telecommunications consolidation plan is completed in the next two to three years, DIR will review the need for telecommunications (not just WAN) operations consolidation.

Please e-mail your questions or comments to ITassessment@dir.state.tx.us

Send Us Your Questions

• Questions from state agencies should be sent to: datacenteragency@dir.state.tx.us
• Questions from data center vendors should be sent to: datacentervendor@dir.state.tx.us
• You may also Submit an Anonymous Question