TO: Corporate Services Committee

FROM: Interim Executive Commissioner of Corporate Services

SUBJECT: MAPPING WORKSTATION REPLACEMENT

Purpose:

To purchase 5 new graphics workstations for the Geomatics Service Section (Scarborough) to replace old, outdated equipment purchased in early 1991.

Source of Funds:

Funding to be from the 1998 Information Technology capital account.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

1. Five (5) graphics workstations be purchased for the Geomatics Section (Scarborough) to replace the existing RS6000 workstations at a total price not to exceed $42,000, including all applicable taxes.

Background:

Scarborough's Works & Environment/Geomatic Services Section uses, among its various tools, six IBM RS6000 Workstations originally purchased early in 1991. The operating systems of all RS6000 computers in the City, beginning with the Servers, are being upgraded to AIX Version 4 as most new software will not operate on the old operating system version. The graphics cards in these Mapping Workstations are not compatible to AIX Version 4, and replacement cards will cost approximately $12,000 each. This is unreasonably high. In addition, the UNIX Workstations have been problematic, in that they have not permitted the operators use of normal office automation software such as GroupWise.

Comments:

The most practical solution would be to upgrade one of the City's AIX-based Servers, SCARSERV4, and to replace the six mapping workstations with PC's. Ideally, these PC's in the Works & Environment Department should be city-standard CAD Workstations, designed for complex graphics use. The operators cannot make do with lower quality computers.

Most older PC's do not have adequate graphics capability. Thus, rather than investing in the upgrade of inferior, temporary devices, it is most practical and efficient to acquire the final products immediately. Works & Environment have supplied one PC. Five more are needed.

The estimated cost of these workstation is $7,268, plus applicable taxes; the total cost of the five workstation is $36,340, plus applicable taxes.

Conclusion:

UNIX Workstations are not compatible to the City's overall computing environment and should be replaced when their usefulness expires. Current changes to hardware and software have effectively ended the utility of the six UNIX workstations in Scarborough's Geomatics Section, although the production environment must continue. The most practical solution is to replace the six RS6000 Workstations with City-standard, high-end Windows NT Workstations running X-Emulation software. One computer has been found, and five more must be supplied.

Contact Name:

Graham Kemp Jim Andrew

Director, Information Technology Interim Director, Information Technolgoy

(Scarborough Office) City of Toronto

Telephone: (416) 396-7300 Telephone: (416) 392-8421

Fax: (416) 396-4205 Fax: (416) 392-3966

Margret Rodriques

Interim Executive Commissioner of Corporate Services