Fire & Rescue NSW to deploy on IBM Cloud

Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has handed IBM a five-year contract to deploy an as-a-service based IT delivery platform.

Under the agreement, IBM will build and run the platform, which will host FRNSW workloads including the dedicated SAP Emergency Services deployment, which manages workloads from 100,000 staff and volunteers.

Other workloads to be hosted include Oracle RAC and the department’s geospatial information. The workloads will be deployed on IBM Cloud infrastructure based in the NSW Government Data Centre.

Terms of the five-year deal have not been disclosed, but The Australian has reported that it is a “multi-million dollar” contract.

The system will be set up so all workloads can be managed through a single dashboard. It will incorporate the Tivoli Storage Manager to improve data management and efficiencies.

IBM said it will design the system to be flexible and scalable enough to support FRNSW’s mission-critical operations and deploy new services as needed. It will seek to consolidate IT workloads, deliver better IT resource utilisation and implement automation to reduce the risk of manual intervention.

With the deployment, FRNSW will be one of the first NSW government agencies to transition to an as-a-service model. It fits with the government’s Data Centre Reform initiative, which aims to consolidate the 130 existing data centres into just two facilities.

These facilities commenced operation in mid-2013. The government meanwhile launched the second stage of the Silverwater facility this August. When fully built, the data centre will be capable of supporting up to 9 MW of IT load.

“The move towards the IBM NSW Government Cloud provides us with a powerful, scalable and on-demand platform hosted in a world-class facility that is many times more powerful than we could afford to procure with traditional on-premise IT deployments,” FRNSW CIO Richard Host said.

“This new approach will enable FRNSW to identify and respond to hazards and emergencies in a faster and more informed way, minimising impact and enhancing the safety, quality of life and confidence of our community.”

Host said the deployment will allow FRNSW to maintain or slightly reduce its current IT spending levels while significantly enhancing its capacity.

FRNSW oversees the provision of fire, rescue and hazmat services in cities and towns across New South Wales. The department is involved in the response phase of most emergency or disaster events throughout the state. It was established in 1910 as the New South Wales Fire Brigades (NSWFB).

“IBM has been a key partner across NSW Government for more than 20 years, providing solutions that underpin the delivery of mission-critical services to citizens within the NSW Community,” IBM Global Technology Services ANZ General Manager Mark Brewer added.

“We are delighted to be partnering with FRNSW to further enhance its capabilities to deliver important services to the NSW Community.”

Image courtesy of Ada Be under CC