ITEM:

CONSENT CALENDAR

 

4.

CONSIDER AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE A SERVER FOR THE WATER DEMAND DIVISION

 

Meeting Date:

August 16, 2004

Budgeted: 

Yes

 

From:

David A. Berger,

Program/

N/A

 

General Manager

Line Item No.:

 

 

 

Prepared By:

 

Inder-Mohan Osahan

Cost Estimate:

$3,700

General Counsel Approval:

N/A

Committee Recommendation:

The Administrative Committee reviewed this item at its August 5, 2004 meeting and recommended ____________.

CEQA Compliance:

N/A

 

SUMMARY:  Staff seeks authorization to purchase new large capacity server (about 750GB) for data/images storage in the water demand division.

 

RECOMMENDATION:  Staff recommends approval of expenditures not-to-exceed $ 3700.00 to purchase the server.

 

BACKGROUND:  The District’s computer network and information technology infrastructure allows staff to perform their daily tasks to support many required District functions. Water demand staff use databases and programs to issue permits, log conservation and inspections information, and save digital photos of inspections performed in the field. All of the above functions performed require disk storage space. 

 

Starting in February 2004, the District began work on a new water demand database system and re-organization of the hardcopy file system by parcel numbers. The system being designed will allow staff to enter and look up data from a single user interface to provide better customer service and data analysis. To support and develop the new database system at the District, a multifunction copier was purchased in FY 2003-2004 to help Staff scan paper documents. Once scanned, these documents need to be stored somewhere on the network on a server for easy access and use. The new server will be the final holding place for these new electronic documents.

 

As the effort to build a new database is in progress, staff plans to use the multifunction copier as a document imaging system to convert the paper documents to electronic files on the new server.

 

IMPACT ON STAFF AND RESOURCES:  The hardware and software, requested above is included in the Fiscal Year 2004-2005 budget. There are funds available Account No. 99-9160 (Computer Equipment & Programs) for the purchase of a new server for water demand division and general hardware maintenance.  To have the work completed at a low cost, staff will be configuring the new server in-house with support from the manufacturers and vendors of the equipment.

 

U:\staff\word\committees\Admin\20040805\04\item4.doc