Cloud important for Government

Governments across the world are under intense pressure to reduce costs and increase their operational efficiency, while also improving service delivery to their citizens. Their IT environments are under even more pressure to do more with less and as infrastructure has become even more complex; many government departments can look to digital communities, cloud and open source to enable government to effectively connect with citizens and to compete in the global village.

The theme for GovTech 2011 is ‘Connected Government’ derived from a government centric approach which is increasingly looking towards technology as a strategic tool and as an enabler for public service innovation and productivity growth.

Makano Mosidi, Public Sector Executive, Dimension Data Middle East and Africa, says:  “Connected Government” – and to qualify –“ with purpose fit networks” – goes to the heart of enabling all electronically deliverable services, for example telemedicine, delivery of curriculum, streaming of finger prints from the crime scene to the police station and back – all of which require adequacy in bandwidth.”

With CIO’s and CEO’s continuously under pressure to reduce costs, to improve and demonstrate ROI, to ensure a user welfare and experience, cloud computing puts a light at the end of this tunnel.  Dimension Data Group, the leading Systems Integration (SI) company and rated highly by Gartner as an implementer with the highest rate of success,   has live cloud offerings and  has bolstered this capability by acquiring Opsource.

“The acquisition of OpSource by Dimension Data,  and Dimension Data’s experience with complex turnkey systems integration projects, positions it in the leading role of enabling connected Government through cloud computing – a catalyst for cost effectiveness.” Mosidi says.

We have also seen free open source enabling countries to be effectively innovative, leading to the manufacturing of indigenous systems to those countries.  With Dimension Data’s global footprint and the NTT’s wealth of open source capacity and competence, Dimension Data will contribute strategically and operationally to the open source uptake by Government in line with their cabinet resolution.  This coupled with our ability to ensure that client infrastructure operates optimally, makes us suitable partners in connecting government.” Mosidi adds.