Presentation given by John Sheridan at the Gartner Infrastructure, Operations and Data Centre Summit – 16 March 2011
Slide 1: Shed Services
Alternative text:
Title slide as described in the surrounding text, with a background image of a shed.
Initiating, instituting and implementing the
Australian Government Data Centre Strategy 2010-2025
John Sheridan
Acting Australian Government CIO
Australian Government Information Management Office
Slide 2: The Formless Void
Individual agencies managed their data centres
Often converted office space, or the basement
Usually the responsibility of Property group, not IT group
Key assumptions were cheap electricity, 10/5 IT operations
Ad hoc approach to rack and cabling layouts
The big issue was space for all the equipment
Good enough for the 1980s and non-mission critical ICT
Slide 3: Let there be light
2008: Gershon Review - recommendation 5
“there is a prima facie case for the avoidance of $1 billion in costs through a whole-of-government approach to data centre requirements”.
2009: Interim data centre panel
2009: Data Centre Strategy developed
2010: Data Centre Strategy announced by Government
2010: Nine agencies relocate to data centres off the interim panel
2011: Procurement – data centre panels, migration services
2011: Policy – data centre optimisation
Slide 4: Bureaucracy is the lifeblood of democracy
Alternative text:
The top graphic shows three chevrons, listing three phases of the data centre program: initiate, institute, and implement.
Under the initiate chevron, the graphic shows the parties involved in developing, reviewing and approving the data centre strategy. AGIMO developed the strategy, with input from agencies and industry. The Chief Information Officer Committee (CIOC) reviewed and recommended the strategy for consideration by the Secretaries ICT Governance Board (SIGB). SIGB reviewed and recommended the strategy for consideration by Government. Government approved the strategy.
Under the institute chevron, the graphic shows the two parts of the Department of Finance and Deregulation that are managing the Coordinated Procurement Program. The Coordinated Procurement Program is a whole of government approach to leveraging the government’s purchasing power.
Under the implement chevron, the graphic shows the key activities toward achieving the goal of avoiding $1 billion in data centre costs. The key activities are better technology, modern data centre facilities and better processes.
Slide 5: Data Centre Strategy
The strategy is to avoid $1 billion in future costs:
- Reducing electricity consumption
- Increasing the return from our ICT assets
- Leveraging our economies of scale
Key assumption is that ICT costs will grow at 10% per annum
The strategy is not about:
- Keeping up with the latest fashion
- Putting all Government ICT into one data centre
- Reducing agency ICT budgets
Slide 6: Going to market
Alternative text:
The graphic shows the timeline for five procurement activities, by quarters and years.
The existing data centre facilities panel procurement began in Q3 2010 and is to finish in Q1 2011.
The fit out data centre facilities panel procurement began in Q3 2010 and is to finish in Q2 2011.
The greenfields data centre facilities panel procurement began in Q3 2010 and is to finish in Q3 2011.
The data centre migration services panel procurement began in Q3 2010 and is to finish in Q1 2011.
The data centre as a service procurement is to begin in Q3 2011 and finish in Q4 2011.
In this case, Q1 is January to March, Q2 to April to June, and so on.
Slide 7: Success stories
Data centre strategy endorsed and funded by Government
Interim data centre panel addressed urgent needs
- 12 agencies approved, 9 have signed leases
- About 2,500 square metres, in Sydney and Canberra
- Avoided over $7 million in data centre costs
Panel for existing data centre facilities established
Panel for migration services established
Data centre optimisation policy adopted
Slide 8: Future’s so bright ... got to wear shades
Panels for fit out and green fields
Data Centre as a Service
Business case for whole of government data centre
Reporting on avoided costs to government
Agencies move their data centres
New opportunities arise from the consolidated data centres
Slide 9: Further information
AGIMO website:
AGIMO blog:
Data centre project team:
Australian Government entry point:
Australian Government public information datasets: