IT upgrade
DEFENCE DEPLOYMENT
T
he Department of Defence recently undertook a complete desktop hardware, operating system and application
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE TURNED TO DXC AND FOXCONN FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST I.T. ASSET DEPLOYMENT PROJECTS EVER UNDERTAKEN IN AUSTRALIA. with capacity to process over 50,000 devices per month, all of which go
ongoing capability well into the future. The scalability, fit-for-purpose
through a testing and quality assurance
approach, sustainability of the solution
process before being shipped. The
and ability to transition to business as
company is accredited under ISO
usual post-project, were all primary
refresh/upgrade across its desktop
9001 (Quality Systems) and ISO 14001
considerations taken into account
fleet, encompassing more than 110,000
(Environmental Systems).
by Foxconn in conjunction with
machines. This was in direct response to
Due to security constraints,
Commonwealth representatives and DXC.
the Department’s need to modernise its
Foxconn leveraged the solutions it has
desktop environment to meet operational,
developed and runs day-to-day in its
of the supply chain for the largest
compatibility and security postures, not
factory and worked with Commonwealth
asset deployment project (by volume)
available from its aged fleet.
representatives to install a similar,
undertaken in Australia by DXC. They
yet scalable capability on-premise
were involved from the design phase as a
Department to standardise its desktop
at Defence in Canberra. The overall
key partner in preparing our commercial
fleet and ICT environment to a small
approach taken was very different to the
submission, and completed the
number of devices and make significant
traditional model used for desktop SOE
implementation of the build centre on time
savings through supporting a smaller
imaging and building and yielded an
and on budget,” said Michael Wagner,
number of hardware platforms within the
efficient solution for the Department.
Solutions Architect for DXC.
The result has enabled the
environment. On behalf of the deployment
The savings actually achieved are
“Foxconn provided a key element
“They then met the daily and monthly
not quantifiable; however, they are
build targets consistently as required by
contractor, DXC Technology, Foxconn
significant due to removal of impacts on
the project, which required a just-in-time
Australia ran, controlled and managed
either the project time frame (110,000-
approach to minimise cost by eliminating
the inbound tracking, standard operating
plus units in 10 months of build) or the
double handling and reducing storage
environment (SOE) and imaging and
underlying ICT network, which would
requirements,” added Wagner.
outbound packaging for over 110,000
have required movement of huge
desktop PCs and workstations using Dell
amounts of data across wide-area and
was highly successful in delivering
and Hewlett Packard hardware.
remote-connectivity links if a desktop-
on its commitments to Defence,” said
based build had been implemented.
Patrick Collins, Foxconn Director of
Foxconn Australia (foxconnaustralia. com.au), a subsidiary of the world’s
Foxconn personnel worked closely
“The Foxconn and DXC partnership
Operations. “The people, systems and
largest electronics manufacturer, has
with Commonwealth representatives
processes employed during the course
operated Australia’s largest computer
throughout the design, implementation
of the rollout ensured predictability and
assembly facility for more than 15 years.
and operational phase of the project.
flexibility. The results could not have
The facility at Rydalmere in Sydney has
In addition, the on-premise facility has
been achieved without the excellent
10,000 square metres of warehouse,
been left behind for the Commonwealth
teamwork demonstrated by all parties
manufacturing and pre-staging space
to distribute and leverage as an
involved in the project.”
14 | GOVTECH REVIEW Q1 2019
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