Chapter 9: Management and Accountability
L. Information Technology
L. Information Technology
The Information Services Branch (ISB) provides ICT, Business, Records Management and Library Services to business areas within PM&C to enable our outcomes to be met.
During 2009-10 ISB continued to provide the following range of services to PM&C staff and the Prime Minister's Office including:
- Core ICT Services*
- Telephony Management and Switchboard Operators*
- Secure Gateway and Web Hosting Services*
- Network Services*
- ICT Security Services
- Slipstream Support Services*
- ICT Project Services*
- ICT Contract Management Services*
- Web and Application Services
- Library
- Records Management*, and
- Business Services (Facilities, Security, Procurement and Contracts).
Some or all of the services marked with an asterisk (*) are also provided to the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, National Water Commission and the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, the Office of National Assessment and the Attorney-General's Department.
The standard desktop environment within PM&C comprises Microsoft Office 2007 on a Vista platform. The server environment mainly comprises Microsoft Server 2008 and Exchange 2007.
Several key projects were successfully delivered including an improved remote access solution, an improved secure Blackberry solution, improved website services, databases to support departmental processes, and ICT incident notification capabilities.
In line with government policies, the department reduced its reliance on dedicated ICT contractor support, and renewed its commercial desktop and telephony support arrangements.
The Information Services Branch encompasses library and record-management services. Work on the management of the records from numerous royal commissions continued. Together with the National Archives Authority, we completed a record authority that formalised the archival and preservation procedures to be used for records of royal commissions, which are some of the nation's most important historical documents.
Improved access to secure networks and services provided by other government and allied agencies were successfully negotiated, and infrastructure work to extend services (like secure telephone and video teleconferencing) to the department's staff will be completed by December 2010.
The alignment between departmental priorities and ICT investments improved significantly through the introduction of a formal work plan, which captured and prioritised all ICT activities across the department. The work plan will provide clear direction for the expected ICT deliverables in 2010-11 and beyond.