08 November 2011
The States of Jersey is inviting local providers to tender for the provision of one of their core data centres.
As part of the States’ data strategy for 2011 to 2013 the Information Services team will be consolidating its existing data centres and server rooms into 2 centres.
The Director of Information Services, Neil Wells, said the strategy aims to introduce new, space saving technology and to use a locally based business to house one of the centres.
He said that the objective was to replace the data centre currently housed at the General Hospital which has limited scope for future expansion.
“Our objective is to find a Jersey-based supplier with suitable space, environmental conditions and physical security to house the States of Jersey servers and communication equipment. The cost of building and fitting out a new data centre of our own would not be cost effective when there are local companies with dedicated sites which are already fit for purpose,” said Mr Wells.
Mr Wells said that reducing the number of sites used would allow departments to share infrastructure, lead to a less fragmented approach to technology management and enable the States to reduce their footprint.
The Cyril Le Marquand House data centre has been substantially refurbished in the last two years, enhancing its capacity by some 61 per cent. The new location will run alongside this data centre. Both centres will provide backup for each other.
Data security would be a vital element of the successful bid and Mr Wells said the companies short listed during the tender process would have to show that adequate measures would be employed to safeguard the servers in their care.
Tenders are invited from 8 November 2011 and the deadline for companies wishing to make a submission is 10 January 2012.
gov.je