IT consolidation tops Va. technology plan

Virginia Gov. Mark Warner has approved a strategic plan for technology that requires state agencies to begin consolidating the technology infrastructure next year to improve service delivery and government operations.The long-awaited Commonwealth of Virginia Strategic Plan for Technology for 2002-2006 was released Sept. 25 by Warner and Secretary of Technology George Newstrom at the fourth annual Commonwealth of Virginia Information Technology in Lexington, Va. The 125-page plan took five months to develop.The plan "will revolutionize government service delivery to our citizens and result in long-term structural changes that will make our technology resources more effective and efficient," Newstrom said.Virginia spends about $1 billion annually on IT products and services. Warner said the IT consolidation and other fundamental changes in the way the state purchases and manages technology will save more than $100 million a year.The final consolidation recommendations are to be finished and forwarded to Warner by Nov. 30, said Judy Napier, Virginia's assistant secretary for technology. Warner will make his recommendation by Dec. 15, with implementations beginning next year, she said. The areas that provide the greatest opportunity for IT consolidation are data centers, servers, vendor platforms, mainframes, storage and help desks, according to the plan. The plan calls for development of a comprehensive, statewide information security program and the overhaul of administrative systems in finance, planning and budgeting and human resources.