The Department of Corrections plans to introduce a thin-client system, using Citrix and Microsoft Terminal Server, over the next seven months.
It has put out a request for registrations of interest for hardware for the system, as well as cabling, which as well as supporting the thin clients will help the department improve its voice and data transmission between its 200 sites.
The department will not, however, be using voice over internet protocol (VoIP). The main saving with VoIP is in the cost of toll calls, says manager information and technology Bob D’Ath, and the department’s low volume of toll calls does not justify it. The thin-client strategy will result in performance improvements and reduction of costs, he says, particularly through avoiding repeated PC upgrades. Corrections currently has a distributed network of “fat” PCs and servers, both supplied by IBM.
The department expects to be rolling the new systems out over the first half of the year. The target date for full implementation is August D’Ath says.