R2008-222 AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT WITH BURWOOD GROUP, INC.

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MANAGEMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT MIS DIVISION Memorandum No. 2008-OS November 21, 2008 MEMO TO: Honorable Mayor Carrigan and City Council f, �� FROM: Ryan P. McCrady, City Manager � � Gerard J. Bauer, Assistant City Manager � David S. Johnston, Manager, MIS Division�� SUBJECT: Computer Network Infrastructure Up�rade SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that Council approve the attached resolution, authorizing the City Manager to execute the attached contract with Burwood Group for professional services to install, configure, optimize, and document upgraded network switching equipment at the Civic Center and five additional city administrative locations, in an amount not to exceed $25,000. BACKGROUND: The City of Decatur's operating network of 23 servers, 300 static and 125 mobile computers, are connected via an infrastructure of Cisco-brand switches, routers, and wireless bridges. The switches perform functions somewhat akin to switches in a voice telephone network and the routers function as traffic controllers, insuring that each high-speed packet of data follows the appropriate route from origin to destination. Each is a microprocessor in and of itsel£ Originally scheduled for replacement in FY 2005-2006, service life on the switches and routers was extended to the maximum extent possible, as an economy measure. However, the age of this equipment is now such that maintenance service on it has been discontinued by Cisco; replacement units and parts are no longer available from them. '� Council approved the modernization of this equipment in the FY 2008-2009 budget and appropriation ordinance. The new generation replacement equipment, which provides significantly higher bandwidth, enhanced security, and improved reliability/maintainability, has been procured by competitive bid, and is on hand. However, the installation and configuration of this equipment require, on a one-time basis, specialized training and experience which are not routinely required of the city's MIS staf£ Staff selected Burwood Group, based on their Cisco Gold partnership, and their familiarity and experience with our particular network topology. We have worked successfully with them in the past, notably in the upgrade of the city's Wi-Fi/Wi- Mesh Wide Area Network infrastructure in 2007, and they are currently involved in several smaller consulting projects for us at the Police Department and Municipal Services Center. Staff has interviewed key personnel proposed for this project, agreed to a statement of work and standards of acceptance, and negotiated terms which call for the wark to be performed at an 1