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Corporate Services

Information Technology

The I.T. Department is the centralized resource and costs centre for the entire City for computers, internet, telecom and mailroom functions (distribution of all incoming mail and processing of City billings). I.T. has been extensively used by the City as a tool to create solutions and efficiencies for all of its' departments, thus realizing savings and benefits throughout the entire organization.

Services Provided:

IT Office Systems and Operations
Provides service and support for IT Office Systems via three integrated teams – IT Helpdesk, Desktop Services, and IT Operations. This section is also responsible for developing the City’s enterprise office systems collaboration strategy.

IT Helpdesk
The IT Helpdesk is the first point of contact for City Staff computer and telecommunications issues. The Helpdesk records and solves client requests for service. Requests that cannot be solved by the Helpdesk are forwarded to the appropriate IT support team. Currently, Helpdesk handle an average of 65 requests a day. 

Desktop Services
Provides hardware and software installation and support for desktop workstations, printers, and handheld devices. 

IT Operations
Includes large volume printing and scheduled data, mail processing, mail sorting and distribution, and backup media handling.

Contact Us:  Information Technology

ICT Infrastructure
Provides the Information and Communications Technology infrastructure for the City’s communications and applications systems. The section is divided into three teams – Telecomm, Infrastructure, and Technical Applications. 

Telecomm
This team is tasked with managing three technologies: the (approximately) 2000 land-line (“wired”) handsets and five Nortel PBX switches, over 260 cellular telephones (“wireless”), and over 130 Blackberry units (“converged”). This team also manages voice-mail and many other specialised voice-processing systems. Underway are also projects to upgrade the sites to Voice Over Internet Protocol (“VOIP”) digital systems. Over 30 sites in the City of Richmond benefit from this team’s tremendous dedication to customer service. 

Infrastructure
This team is responsible for the City’s Metropolitan Area Network (“MAN”), connecting City Hall, the Public Works Yard, and over 20 other City sites. This network must carry data for applications, voice signals for telecomm systems, and video data for security systems. The MAN uses a combination of City-owned fibre, high-speed leased lines, and Virtual Private Networks (“VPN”) over cable modems to keep the City employees in touch with the public as well as with each other.

This team also maintains the servers for the City’s applications; there are about 100 Windows and Sun servers, as well as a variety of specialised appliances. Not all of the servers are physical – many are now “virtualised”, providing a more efficient and economical method of running critical applications.
Added to the mix are two Storage Area Networks (“SAN”s), two LTO tape libraries for backup, and two data centres – the main one at City Hall, and a second “backup” data centre located a few kilometres away.
It is a big job, and these team members have to thoroughly understand a range of complex and evolving technologies – any one of which would make most people cringe! 

Technical Applications
This is the team that puts it all together. These Business System Analysts design and maintain a variety of systems that are too complex for most other people to deal with. E-mail, the City’s document management system, the backup system, and network security “Group Policies” are just some of the areas that this team works their magic on.

Contact Us:  Information Technology

GIS, Web, and Database Services
Provides service and support for the Geographic Information System, Web Services, and Database Services. 

Geographic Information System
Provide service and support for the Geographic Information System. This system includes a central database of City data represented spatially as well as a collection of software and programs for the maintenance, reporting and integration of geographic data including a web site hosting the GIS Inquiry application available to the public and City Staff. 

Web Services
Provides maintenance and management of the City's award winning Internet website as well as the City’s Intranet site for City Staff. The City Internet site provides access to City news and information, agendas and minutes, bylaws, schedules, forms, publications and contacts, informational pages, as well as related links. The City Internet also hosts online transactions such as the Bookit system for recreation booking, Parking Ticket payments and Tax Certificates. Currently, the City experiences an average hit ratio of 2,645,076 per month.

The Intranet site provides a wealth of information for City Staff including news, announcements, bulletin board, job postings, marketplace, department calendars, documents, forms, phone directory, help, links to applications, and special departmental pages. 

Database Services
Provides installation, configuration, and maintenance support for the City’s 32 Oracle database instances and 20 SQL Server database instances. Provide technical installation and support for the PeopleSoft Financials and Human Capital Management systems. Provide system, network, and application monitoring via the HP OpenView system.

Contact Us:  Information Technology

Enterprise Application Development
The Enterprise Application Development team is focused on the synergy between the City’s operations and information technology. This section provides technical and business analysis services and support computer applications systems in human resource, payroll, time and labour, point of sale, accounting, property, permit, licensing, tax, utility, operations management, community and facility registration and parking ticket management. Software for voters and council referrals has been developed in-house. Payment and property information is available via Interactive Voice Response, or Internet. Future directions will be to provide more services over the Internet in a reliable, secure manner, and in analyzing and using system data to benefit the City of Richmond and its customers.

The Enterprise Application Development Section strives to:

  • Integrate our core business systems with organizational procedures. Core business systems integration ensures that departmental and business procedures are progressing towards the organization’s strategic objectives.
  • Implement business process transformation. Business process transformation is a pivotal component of an Information Technology Strategy. The right business process will ensure the appropriate alignment of business requirements, human resources and technology systems.
  • Develop innovative business solutions, reshaping corporate business systems using proven methodologies available to meet our current and long term requirements.
  • Maximize the full potential of the City’s Information Technology Systems by optimizing the established infrastructure and applications across the organization’s business units.

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Administration
Project Management Office
Develops and promotes an organization Project Management process for the Information Technology Division using PMI Methodologies. This process guides the development of capabilities necessary to execute Information Technology projects through systematic management to achieve continuous improvement.

Security Assessment
Plans, leads and executes risk assessments to determine the security impact on the City’s data and infrastructure using ISO17799 standards. Develops security policies and procedures in the appropriate use of City computing and telecommunication facilities and evaluates the effectiveness of counter measures designed to minimize system vulnerabilities.

Asset Management
Provides a corporate wide Information Technology Asset Management strategy. This strategy tracks and analyzes the technical and financial data of Information Technologies software, hardware and associated equipment through their lifecycle, from request to disposal, fulfilling the corporate requirement for legal compliance, budgetary and management reporting requirements.

Administration
Provides administration services to the Information Technology Division including the preparation and updating of Operational and Capital budgets; maintains and develops policies and procedures; prepares reports for senior management.

Contact Us:  Information Technology