IT Consolidation Study: Background, Benefits, and Opportunities

1. IT Consolidation Study @ CSUStatus Report – April 15, 2011 P. Burns, B. Carney, D. Carpenter, J. Folkestad, T. Hadley, A. Horn, E. Peyronnin, R. Scott, and S. Wolvington

2. Agenda • Background & Benefits • Approach • Challenges • Areas of Study • Consolidation Opportunities • Next Steps IT Consolidation

3. Background and Benefits • Began when we were planning for significant budget cuts, motivating a desire to retain faculty positions • We expect, and other institutions are reporting: • Substantial cost savings • Freeing up of departmental IT staff to focus on unique, discipline-specific needs, e.g. instructional technology, faculty support, research support, etc. • Reduced risk • Better customer service IT Consolidation

4. Approach • Engage via RFP an objective entity for analysis • Enter Adams-Gabbert, November, 2010 • Exit Adams-Gabbert one week later • Per Provost, continue analysis internally using: • Information gathered by campus for AG analysis • Huron Consulting report (Purchasing, 2010) • Facilities Management report on server rooms • Report due to Provost March 15, 2011 • A “framework for discussion” IT Consolidation

5. If at first you don’t succeed… IT Consolidation

6. Committee Members • Pat Burns (VPIT), co-chair • Bryan Carney (Director, University Advancement) • Dave Carpenter (IT Director, CAHS) • Jim Folkestad (Faculty, CAHS) • Thom Hadley (Director, CVMBS) • Allison Horn (Director, Internal Auditing), co-chair • Ed Peyronnin (IT Director, CAS) • Rusty Scott (Assoc. Director, ACNS) • Stephanie Wolvington (Internal Auditing) IT Consolidation

7. Inherent Challenges • The departmental view: • Loss of control, flexibility, agility • Level of trust in central IT varies across campus • Can central IT ‘ramp up’ to support a higher level of consolidated services? IT Consolidation

8. Areas of Study for Possible Consolidation • Data Center & Associated Hardware • Applications and Licensing • Web Design and Programming • Identity and Access Management • Purchasing • Helpdesk & Desktop Support • Networking and Networking Support IT Consolidation

9. Building a Framework for Discussion • Theme: “Simplify the IT environment” • Consider savings, benefits, and risks at varying levels of consolidation for each area: • Tight and/or tighter collaboration • Hybrid approach, some consolidation • Complete consolidation IT Consolidation

10. Narrowing the Scope • Considering savings, value & risk to campus: • Data Center & Associated Hardware • Applications and Licensing • Web Design and Programming • Identity and Access Management • Purchasing • Helpdesk & Desktop Support • Networking and Networking Support IT Consolidation

11. Data Center and Associated HardwareBackground • Dozens of server rooms exist on campus today • Although there are a few excellent server rooms, the environment for most systems would improve by accommodating them in the main Data Center. • Consolidation would take advantage of • Central access controls, security, monitoring • Environmental controls (backup power, cooling) • High speed connectivity IT Consolidation

12. Data Center and Associated HardwareTight Collaboration • Relocate hardware ‘as is’ to central data center • Benefits • Better overall control of physical environment • Recovery of space & facilities costs • Risks & Constraints • Need adequate disaster recovery facility as well • Insufficient space in central data center • Savings • Primarily facilities costs (cooling, power, etc.) • Projected at $200K/year IT Consolidation

13. Data Center and Associated HardwareHybrid Approach • Migrate servers to central, virtualized environment • Benefits • Same as ‘collaboration’ option, plus: • Very scalable (and greener!) • Risks & Constraints • Same as ‘collaboration’ option • Savings • Facilities costs, hardware economies of scale, staff efficiency • At 75% of servers, up to $700K/year • Requires initial investment of $110K? IT Consolidation

14. Data Center and Associated HardwareComplete Consolidation • Migrate servers and storage to central data center • Benefits • Same as hybrid model, plus • Simplification of environment for users • Collaborative spaces, compliance for researchers • Risks • Storage: ‘Eggs in one basket’, albeit a good basket • Savings • Additional economies from storage • Up to $780K/year IT Consolidation

15. Data Center and Associated HardwareObservations • Some server rooms on campus are very robust • Complete consolidation is inadvisable • For reasons of backup and disaster recovery • Units with well established, efficient data centers could use central facilities for backup and DR • With some initial investment, substantial improvements & savings are possible IT Consolidation

16. Identity and Access Management (IAM) Background • Managing electronic identities and access to resources; an administrative simplification • Centrally, this is ‘eID’ • This has been an ongoing area of study • Campus has identified gaps in our IAM profile: • Some users need multiple systems to conduct campus business • eID does authentication, not authorization • Need better support for external constituents • Increased need for federated logins • Support for Levels of Assurance (LoA) IT Consolidation

17. IAMTight Collaboration • Communications campaign • Minimize confusion regarding multiple credentials • Assist in leveraging eID (CVMBS model) • Benefits • Some simplification, less confusion & frustration • Risks & Constraints • Does not address the problem of multiple credentials • Does not provide authorization services • Savings • Efficiency of users • Hard to quantify, but considered low IT Consolidation

18. IAMHybrid Approach • Consolidate authentication • Extend existing IAM to include distributed authorization • Benefits • Simplifies environment with single credential • Extends functionality for provisioning services • Minimize (or eliminate) child domain confusion • Risks & Constraints • Normalization of rules & processes across campus • Savings • Efficiency of users and IT staff • Hard to quantify, but considered MUCH higher • Substantial effort to implement (personnel) IT Consolidation

19. IAMComplete Consolidation • Consolidate systems, operations and staffing related to IAM • Benefits • Same as hybrid, plus; • Facilitates more consistent operations • Risks & Constraints • Same as hybrid, plus; • Lack of agility and responsiveness to user’s needs • Savings • Same as hybrid approach with incremental added efficiencies for IT staff IT Consolidation

20. Identity and Access Management (IAM) Observations • Making real headway in IAM will require initial investments in the areas of: • Aligning processes and policy space • Developing a mechanism for authorization • However, this is considered to be highly important as a simplifying, ‘enabling’ technology improving efficiency, privacy, and security IT Consolidation

21. Purchasing Background • Scope of analysis; Windows-based desktops and laptops • Currently ‘distributed’ with some ad hoc aggregation efforts • CSU has contracts with multiple vendors • $5M+ annual spend on desktops & laptops • 80% is for standard/administrative models IT Consolidation

22. PurchasingTight Collaboration • Coordinated group purchases for admin. computers & ‘zero clients’ • Benefits • Group purchasing has greater efficiencies • simplifies purchasing processes • standardizes systems and support • achieve additional quantity discounts. • Zero clients are • Cheaper than thin or thick clients • Less effort to manage • Less susceptible to technical obsolescence • Risks & Constraints • Difficult to implement • Video and software licensing an issue with zero clients • Savings • Approximately $400K/year IT Consolidation

23. PurchasingHybrid Approach • Strategic business alliance with single vendor (SBA RFP) • Benefits • Even greater efficiencies for purchasing and technical support • Scholarship & internship potential • Risks & Constraints • Need a liberal exemption process for faculty, research, … • Specific product line issues could be significant • Service and support issues need to be considered and specifically addressed • Savings • Approximately $700K/year IT Consolidation

24. PurchasingComplete Consolidation • Centralize ALL purchases, likely within Purchasing dept. • Benefits • Single point of purchases • Simplify purchasing • Risks & Constraints • Inflexible. Won’t respond to user needs. • Enforcement may be impossible • Savings • Approximately $700K/year (?) IT Consolidation

25. Purchasing Observations • Of all of the consolidation opportunities, likely the best hope for short-term savings • And the savings are substantial! • The easiest to implement IT Consolidation

26. Networking and Networking SupportBackground • ACNS currently responsible for: • Our connections to the ‘outside world’ • Campus fiber & copper (wire) infrastructure • ‘Core’ network switches • Building and distribution switches are the responsibility of distributed IT staff • However, many are centrally operated and managed • Life and safety devices attached to the network • Wireless network • Network dependency on the rise • Life and safety devices • VoIP! IT Consolidation

27. Networking & Networking SupportTight Collaboration • Formalize/enforce network operations, distributed management continues • Benefits • Improves network availability • Clarification of responsibilities • Risks & Constraints • Additional effort to communicate/coordinate/train requires FTE • Complexity of distributed model hampers management of life and safety devices, VoIP • Savings • Very low in $ IT Consolidation

28. Networking & Networking SupportHybrid Approach • Single unit responsible for switch operations • Non-central staff continue to make some changes in closets • Rapid response time • Central management is responsible for switch operation/mgmt. • Benefits • Improves network availability (‘hardens’ the network) • Increases effectiveness and efficiency of network operation • Risks & Constraints • Some inconsistencies may persist • Savings • Efficiency savings, considerably higher than ‘collaboration’ and , may significantly reduce liability risk IT Consolidation

29. Networking & Networking SupportComplete Consolidation • Single unit responsible for switch operations including connections to the end user • Benefits • Greatest possible network availability • Risks & Constraints • Slow response time during high activity • Telecom -> Networking staff reallocation required • Savings • Departmental staff are freed up from network responsibility IT Consolidation

30. Networking and Networking SupportObservations • As our dependency on the network grows • ‘Hardening’ becomes critical • We must move to a more effective and efficient operational model • Should also explore models for funding edge switch replacement from the monthly telephone chargeback as we deploy unified communications via VoIP IT Consolidation

31. Final Thoughts • Areas of additional savings and greater efficiencies should be explored: • Consolidating in house or outsourcing faculty & staff email • Outsourcing basic services, including virtual platforms • Centrally supporting open source, dynamic web services (LAMP infrastructure) • New models for delivering next gen telephony IT Consolidation

32. Feedback Solicited • Data Center & Associated Hardware • Identity and Access Management • Purchasing • Networking and Networking Support IT Consolidation