Nov. Deadline for California Data Center Consolidation Plan

The California Performance Review, in attempting to reorganize state government and produce the "first 21st century government," pointed to the need for IT consolidation, citing health care as an example.. "Health care data are collected by multiple departments within the agency and stored in 60 different computerized systems," said the Review, " making a real understanding of the success or failure of programs impossible. Within this fractured system, it is difficult for even the best-intentioned people to coordinate programs and activities."

The report went on to recommend the consolidation of California's two general-purpose data centers -- Stephen P. Teale and Health and Human Services.

Then, late last month, Governor Schwarzenegger signed an executive order ordering the consolidation of the two data centers. "The Director of the Stephen P. Teale Data Center shall lead the planning for and implementation of the consolidation of the Stephen P. Teale Data Center and the Health and Human Services Data Center," said the order, "excluding the System Integration Division, so that the consolidated entity becomes a customer-focused, technology services organization with greater flexibility and capacity than either data center now possesses. The consolidated entity will serve the common technology needs of Executive Branch entities with accountability to customers for providing secure services that are responsive to client needs at a cost representing best value to the state and consistent with the strategic objectives of the state's information technology program as determined by the State Chief Information Officer."

The Teale Data Center director and the state CIO have until November 1 to provide a plan to "reorganize and consolidate the data centers."