Data Center Services Guide

Introduction

House Bill 1516 (79th Leg., R.S.) changes the way agencies obtain data center and disaster recovery services. These changes help the state view data center services from a statewide perspective and gain economies of scale through shared infrastructure. Changes include establishing the Statewide Technology Center for Data and Disaster Recovery Services (consolidated data center) and requiring agencies to obtain DIR approval for data center and disaster recovery expenditures.¹

The consolidated data center will combine and coordinate state data center and disaster recovery operations to improve efficiencies and performance. Twenty-seven agencies with significant information technology (IT) operations have been prioritized to participate in the initial consolidation. Obtaining DIR approval for data center and disaster recovery services expenditures helps the state view enterprise buying patterns and negotiate volume discounts. All agencies are required to obtain approval regardless of their participation in the initial consolidation.

This guide:
1. Defines the scope of data center and disaster recovery services and what is excluded from this definition
2. Describes the process for requesting approval of data center and disaster recovery expenditures
3. Describes the process for obtaining services through the consolidated data center

Data Center and Disaster Recovery Services

Data Center Services

For the purposes of data center consolidation and expenditure approval, the following describes the scope of data center and disaster recovery services.

Mainframe

• Mainframe hardware and operating system installation, support, maintenance
• Mainframe software installation, support, maintenance for specified products/categories (DB2, CICS, IMS, RACF, etc.)
• Mainframe system programming for all in-scope mainframe software

Servers (Production, Test, Development)

• Server hardware and operating system installation, support, maintenance
• Server software installation, support, maintenance for specified products/categories (Oracle, email, DNS, etc.)
• System administration for all in-scope server software
• Remote server administration
• Server support for mobile access devices (PDA, Blackberry, etc.)

Common Services

• Computer operations and monitoring
• Production control (batch scheduling, job scheduling)
• Storage management (disk, tape)
• Disaster recovery backups and offsite tape storage
• Physical database administration (production, testing, development)
• Data center print services (printer operations, reports staging for distribution, ordering paper, special forms, etc., inserts and bulk print mailings)
• Facility and environmental support
• Capacity planning
• Disaster recovery planning and testing for all data center services
• Business continuity planning (service provider processes)
• Support center (for in-scope data center services)
• Hardware/software procurement for in-scope services

Security

• Vulnerability/threat/virus support
• Security software installation and maintenance
• Physical security

Process Management

• Incident management
• Problem management
• Change management
• Configuration management
• Release management

LAN Support and Maintenance in Data Center Facilities

For further clarification on expenditure approvals, the following are examples of transactions which require approval:

GENERAL DATA CENTER

• New purchase, lease, or rental of data processing hardware (mainframe and other server environments) including all peripheral equipment that compose a system
• Extension or renewal of a lease or rental of data processing hardware
• Maintenance contracts (new or renewal) for data processing hardware
• New license of data processing software (mainframe and other server environments) including, but not limited to, operating systems, database management, communications management, security management, systems management, storage management, online transaction management, middleware, utilities, and other related software
• Extension or renewal of licenses for data processing software
• Maintenance contracts (new or renewal) for data processing software
• New purchase of data processing services from an outsourced Service Provider, including an agency’s intent to secure services from the state consolidated data center
• Extension or renewal of any contracts with a data processing outsourced Service Provider
• New purchase of disaster recovery services
• Extension or renewal of any contract for disaster recovery services
• IT staff augmentation for IT operations, implementation, life cycle maintenance, system administration, support and technology services

DATA CENTER FACILITIES

• Lease or rental of new or additional floor space or facilities to house data center or disaster recovery operations
• Extension or renewal of any contract for the lease or rental of floor space or facilities to house data center or disaster recovery operations
• Creation, expansion, or improvement of physical security, floor space, conditioned power, or conditioned heating/AC or other related environmental equipment for housing data center or disaster recovery operations
• Relocation of data processing equipment

Agency-Retained Services

All agencies will continue to direct and operate these services and do not need to obtain approval for these expenditures.

End-User Computing

• Desktop support and maintenance (including desktop software)
• Desktop break-fix
• Desktop anti-virus support and maintenance
• Desktop and non-data center network printers
• Mobile access devices (PDA, Blackberry, etc.)
• Multi-function LAN-attached copier/scanner/fax machines

Network

• LAN support and maintenance
• WAN support and maintenance
• Voice/phone support and maintenance

Common Services

• Help desk (Tier I – all services, Tier II – retained services, Tier III – retained services)
• Technology planning, strategies, and visioning
• Project management
• Disaster recovery planning and testing for all retained services
• Business continuity planning (agency processes)
• Specialized servers (lab, environmental, etc
• Packaged imaging systems (scanners, servers, optical disks, etc.)
• Coordination of Data Center Print Services
• Coordination of form changes with business units
• Volume trending

Security

• Data security
• Security design and policy development
• Systems access requests (directory/file, ID creation/removal, determination of access rights)

Logical Database Administration

• All logical database administration functions
• Agency database administrators and developers will retain the authority and access rights to add/change/delete database objects in development and initial test environments

Custom Applications

• Application development
• Application support
• Application maintenance

 

 

1. The Comptroller of Public Accounts and certain portions of the Department of Public Safety are excluded from HB 1516, Subchapter L, statewide technology centers. In addition, any consolidation by higher education entities must be first approved by the Information Technology Council for Higher Education (ITCHE).