UPGRADE OF ICLIPSE DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT TO VERSION 4
Background
The Iclipse document imaging system used by City Treasury is now approximately 5
years old. Since its inception it has brought about significant cost savings,
however certain aspects of the system have caused problems, i.e. :
1) Scanners have not processed documents quickly enough.
2) The high volume scanner has needed excessive expensive maintenance.
3) The ICL Teamserver which holds the document database has always proved
highly unreliable and caused too much downtime.
4) The optical disc reader (‘jukebox’) which is used to store images when they are
archived has worked satisfactorily in the past but is now obsolete and is
starting to cause problems - because of the difficulty in obtaining parts.
5) The letter production function of Iclipse has never worked with the current
version of Iclipse. When it is working this facility will significantly
improve productivity.
In early 2000 I.T.Services were informed by ICL that they would withdraw
support for version 3.21 by June 2000 (Salford are currently on version 3.21)
and proposed that customers should upgrade to version 4 which would be ‘the way
forward’. The upgrade service will ensure that the letter production facility
works and includes training in its use. This has come up at a time when Treasury
were having to consider whether to replace the computer equipment or extend the
existing lease which expires later this year, therefore the scope of the upgrade
has been widened to include hardware as well as software.
Since then Treasury and I.T.Services have been in discussion with ICL.
ICL outlined two options for the upgrade :
i) Stay with the Unix version of Iclipse, using an Ingres database on the current Teamserver.
ii) Replace the current server with an N.T. server using an Oracle database.
After discussions between I.T. staff, Treasury and ICL it has been agreed that
the best way forward would be option ii) for the following reasons :
1) It would allow Salford to replace the existing computer equipment all of
which is either obsolete or nearly obsolete (except for a few newly acquired
Dell PCs). 85 PCs will have to be replaced for either option since they
will not work with version 4 of Iclipse. New scanners, server and juke box
will give faster throughput of documents and reduce downtime.
2) An N.T. server will be cheaper to buy and run – long term savings for Salford.
3) An Oracle database will be easier for I.T. Services to maintain and support,
thus improving the service to Iclipse users.
4) An N.T. server will be easier and cheaper to maintain/support than the
ICL Teamserver.
5) When the Iclipse data is transferred to an Oracle database it will then
eventually be possible to access it from anywhere on Salford’s network.
6) After installing the new equipment then we would return the old kit to
the leasing firm – otherwise we would have had to pay to extend the lease.
The proposal is therefore, that Salford should upgrade all the hardware for
Iclipse and take the option of running Iclipse on an NT server using an Oracle
database.
Martin Vickers
Chief Revenues Officer
City Treasury
Gordon Kennedy
I.T.Services
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Assumptions :
All new hardware would be leased over a 4-year period - estimated costs on basis
of multiplier given by John Bilsborough.
Costs yr1 Costs yr2 Costs yr3 Costs yr4 Total 1-4
(£) (£) (£) (£) (£)
Lease 85 new PCs 24,650 24,650 24,650 24,650 98,600
MSWord Licences (100) 11,600 0 0 0 11,600
Lease new server 7,250 7,250 7,250 7,250 29,000
Lease new jukebox 3,702 3,702 3,702 3,702 14,808
Lease scanner hardware 6,168 6,168 6,168 6,168 24,672
Annual support: hardware 3,324 3,324 3,324 3,324 13,296
Software purchase costs 14,403 0 0 0 14,403
Annual support: new ICL 7,778 7,778 7,778 7,778 31,112
software - Version 4
Implementation Services: 26,460 0 0 0 26,460
ICL
TOTAL 105,335 52,872 52,872 52,872 263,951
BUDGET 85,000 85,000 85,000 85,000 340,000
SAVINGS -20,335 +32,128 +32,128 +32,128 +76,049