Government Technology - August 2008 - (Page CA-6)

that voice, video and data can be more easily converged. The current DIS network makes it easier than ever before to hold online meetings. A well managed network has other financial benefits as well. For example, having a shortage in bandwidth can turn out to be expensive, but so can having too much bandwidth. Reports provided by the network management tools help the DIS to plan accordingly and achieve optimum network usage. Arkansas’s network is changing. It’s migrating to more complicated environments, such as multiprotocol label switching, a technology that speeds up network traffic flow. The DIS is also working with the University of Arkansas and other educational institutions on a regional network that will allow bridging among several smaller networks. Bailey said the ability to monitor the network in detail will help minimize any complications. That goes for both the ambitious new projects and the day-to-day life of the current infrastructure. “It’s a “Not only do we have the network technicians who are getting the notiﬁcations go in and look, but the call center agents have the ability to see what is happening on the network too.” — Claire Bailey, state CTO and director, Department of Information Systems, Arkansas network; problems are going to exist,” said Bailey. “But the customers may not always know to call us when they see a type of fluctuation.” Having the right tools to monitor the network lets the DIS see and handle these types of issues, often before they become a problem for customers. And built-in diagnostics help the DIS analyze and respond to issues, such as connection errors, immediately. Visibility Pays Off The DIS also maximizes productivity by taking a vendor-neutral approach. That’s a big issue because there are so many different vendors in the marketplace. “It’s a definite factor for us,” said Bailey. “By staying vendor-neutral, we don’t hit proprietary walls, and that is critical. We need to work well with all vendors.” The DIS also provides network insight to its customers. “Not only do we have the network technicians who are getting the notifications go in and look, but the call center agents have the ability to see what is happening on the network too,” said Bailey. If there’s an outage, for example, call center agents can see which sites are affected. They can then update the call center message so people know the DIS is aware of the problem and is working to resolve it. Arkansas wants to ensure every child in the state attending a public school has safe access to the Internet. The DIS is using the network management tools to analyze the technology requirements for the project. Thus the DIS has a clearer picture of the existing capacity and future needs, providing valuable information as the project moves forward. The DIS’s move to enhance its network visibility also helped when the state was hit earlier this year by a series of tornadoes. Using network management tools, Arkansas could see which systems were impacted as storms rolled through the region. That helped keep critical communications going and aided prioritization for restoring services. The DIS could see when power was restored at affected sites and where things were happening across the state. That’s the kind of visibility that fits in perfectly with the DIS mission to satisfy all customers at all times. There are more than 2,500 locations on the IT network that serves Arkansas. The DIS is committed to keeping that network running smoothly for the benefit of its customers, and the state’s citizens. ❖ 6 ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Government Technology - August 2008

Government Technology - August 2008 Contents Point of View The Last Mile Big Picture On the Scene Four Questions for... Net Gains A Government Technology® Industry Profile: CA CA Contents IT Network Management: State and Local Governments Face New Challenges MyFloridaNet Arkansas Department of Information Systems Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Government Tightens Its Belt Rocking the Vote High-Speed Portal Project On Track Wi-Fi on a Shoestring From Paintball to Video Virtually Vulnerable How It Works Products signal:noise

Government Technology - August 2008

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