AGENDA MEMORANDUM

Meeting Date:           August 8, 2011

From:                          Mike Thornton, Purchasing Manager

Subject:                      Purchase request 43869 to Hewlett Packard for the purchase of computer network servers

Staff Recommendation:

Staff recommends approval of purchase request 43869 to Hewlett Packard for the purchase of six computer network servers for a total of $94,000.00.

Analysis:

The Information Technology Department has requested the purchase of one Hewlett Packard enclosure that will contain six G7 blade computer servers.  The purchase also includes 5 years of maintenance and support.  Response time will be four hour on-site response on a 24 hour x 7 day-per week basis.

This purchase will allow for the replacement of several existing servers that are older and have been experiencing failures, two failures within the last month.  Savings will be realized through lower power usage.  This new enclosure of six new servers will replace and eliminate existing hardware that consumes more power than the newer equipment.

According to Wikipedia, virtualization in computing is the creation of a virtual, rather than actual, version of something.  This something can be hardware, operating system, a data storage device or network resources.  The new servers will allow for the ‘virtualization’ of other physical servers as well as end user desktop computers.

The IT Department will use the six new physical servers to create other virtual servers as well as end-user desktops.  Virtualization of the end user desktops will permit the continued use of existing hardware to run software that has higher computing or hardware requirements.  This is possible because the actual computing is done on the more powerful virtualized desktop rather than the computer at the users’ workstation.  Cost savings from delaying new hardware purchases will be realized.

This purchase is being made using the State of Florida Purchasing Agreement #250-000-03-1 for Computer Hardware and Technology related items.

Options:

1.  Approve purchase request 43869 to Hewlett Packard for a total of $94,000.00; or

2.  Such alternative action as the Commission may deem appropriate

Fiscal Impact: 

Funds in the amount of $94,000.00 are available from the $120,000 budgeted for the replacement of Windows based sever hardware.

Submission Date and Time:    8/3/2011 12:12 PM____

Department: _Information Technology___ Prepared by:  _Mike Thornton_________                      Attachments:         Yes____   No __X___ Advertised:   ____Not Required __X___ Dates:   __________________________                      Attorney Review :       Yes___  No ____ _________________________________            Revised 6/10/04

Reviewed by: Dept. Head ________ Finance  Dept. _____JB___________                                    Deputy C.M. ___________________                                          Submitted by: City Manager ___________________

Account No. _001-1633-513.64-10___ Project No. ___________________ WF No. ______________________ Budget  ____ $473,539.00_________ Available ___$259,506.74_________