Slashdot Mirror
New Virginia IT Systems Lack Network Backup
1sockchuck writes "Virginia's new state IT system is experiencing downtime in key services because of a mind-boggling oversight: the state apparently neglected to require network backup in a 10-year, $2.3 billion outsourcing deal with Northrop Grumman. The issue is causing serious downtime for state services. This fall the Virginia DMV has suffered 12 system outages spanning a total of more than 100 hours, and downtime hampered the state transportation department when a state of emergency was declared during the Nov. 11 Northeaster."
During the first six months of the year, state Department of Transportation workers faced 101 significant IT outages totaling 4,677 hours: an average of more than 46 hours per outage. One took 360 hours to fix.
That's 27 weeks of downtime in the space of 26 weeks, which raises a much more important question than why there's no network redundancy and that question is: What kind of fucking morons have they got running their systems?
But I thought the magic pixie dust of free enterprise would make outsourcing something to the private sector cheaper, more efficient, and better in every possible way?
Likely they were told they should have a backup, quoted a price, and said nah, we will be fine.
Is seems nobody RTFA (no surprise). The problem they're having is network outages at branch offices. I assume they're using DSL or such, with no way to connect if/when it goes down. Any one office probably has >99% up time, but when you have hundreds of offices and the remnants of a hurricane come through you can expect several of them to go offline, which is what's happening.
... as soon as some politician determined where the backup site would be. (Which, of course, hasn't happened yet.)
Actually, it has happened. The CoVA backup site is located in Lebanon, VA (SW part of the state).
What THIS article is discussing is the lack of network backup, not data backup.
This is an important distinction, to say the least.
You have the right to remain silent. If you don't, anything you say will be misquoted and used against you.