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COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
Richmond, VA 23225
(804) 510-7300TDD VOICE -TEL. NO. 711
Lindsay LeGrand, APR
Director of Communications
804-801-8310
lindsay.legrand@vita.virginia.gov
For immediate release
Mainframe disaster recovery services restored
RICHMOND -- A replacement IBM mainframe unit has been successfully installed preventing a shutdown in the event of a disaster at the state's primary data center. The unit provides services for 12 executive branch agencies.
Nelson Moe, chief information officer of the commonwealth and head of the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) reports, "VITA worked with technicians Monday to install the replacement after Northrop Grumman permitted entry to its facility in Russell County where the commonwealth's IBM mainframe disaster recovery systems are located. I am pleased to report the replacement unit is up and running and ready to provide services in case of a disaster."
Northrop Grumman has the current contract to provide the information technology (IT) infrastructure for executive branch agencies. That contract expires June 30, 2019, and VITA is working to transition to new IT infrastructure providers.
DXC has the new contract to provide mainframe services and recently took over mainframe services in place in Chester. On July 21, Northrop Grumman denied technicians access to the Russell County facility to replace the mainframe, which had reached functional end-of-life on July 20. It was only after VITA filed for an emergency injunction in Richmond Circuit Court demanding access that an agreement was reached to allow technicians to enter the Northrop Grumman-owned facility.
Prior to installation of the replacement mainframe, 12 key state agencies that depend on IBM mainframe data for their daily operations would have been effectively shut down in the event a disaster knocked out operations at the primary data center in Chester. VITA maintains backups of the mainframe data, but it would have taken an extended period of time to make the mainframe services available.
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About the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA)
VITA is the commonwealth's consolidated technology services and solutions provider responsible for the operation of the state's technology infrastructure, governance, security and oversight of major IT projects, and procurement of technology-related goods and services on behalf of state and local governments. www.vita.virginia.gov
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