As PCs came down in price, they began to replace workstations. These PCs could do a lot by themselves and often needed nothing from the master. They were networked to other computers in the office, department or enterprise. Soon, there were so many PCs linked together that, in many cases, the network was the master. We had a client/server network that provided everyone with enterprise-wide computing.
To a computer person, your enterprise is any area under your control that can contribute or receive data. If you were a municipal employee, you would call it your city. Your enterprise would be the combination of all departments, agencies and organizations in your city that receive and spend money or receive and distribute information. In a theoretical enterprise, everyone is connected to one another. In reality, that's carrying it a bit too far.
Here's an example of this thought process: Parks and Recreation has authorized the rehabilitation of an old park. The original plans called for a new basketball court and an abundance of toddler equipment. Bids were let by Purchasing for these items. However, new studies indicated that less toddler equipment and two basketball courts would be more beneficial.
So, enterprise-wide computing distributes information to everyone who needs it as changes occur, resulting in more efficient operations. The group of software that covers the enterprise is called an Enterprise Resource Planning suite, or ERP for short.
How does client/server fit into the above? Let's assume everyone in our above scenario has a PC. When Parks and Recreation enters the change into their PC, the data is passed onto the PC in Purchasing. The Parks and Recreation PC serves its client, the Purchasing PC, who is now the new user of this information. The Budget Bureau's PC is also served. It, too, is a client.
Now, let's pretend Purchasing can't order without an OK from Budget. Budget requests new costs from Purchasing's PC. Purchasing's PC serves the numbers to its client at Budget with a request to OK or not OK the purchase of the revised items. Budget sees these new costs are within the parameters of the project and serves its client at Purchasing with an OK to buy. Purchasing then serves its client at Parks and Recreation with an OK to proceed.
Note that PCs in this simple scenario could be both client and server, depending on the circumstances. At no time did this network need access to a master or mainframe.
Why Should Anyone Care?
In an era of escalating revenue pressures on state, county and municipal governments, enterprise-wide computing on client/server networks raises efficiency and productivity. Response time is faster, and your numerous agencies, bureaus, departments and other groups are united under a system that can see both small and large pictures at a glance.
Furthermore, not all departments and agencies are created equal. In fact, each group within your organization may conduct business in a different manner. The differences might be as simple as a geographic location, such as a recent annexation, or they could be dramatic. The Police Department gets its funds from the general fund, bonds and assessments. It provides different pay rates based on different levels of training and experience. Roads and Sewers is also funded from the general fund, but their funding comes from different bonds than the police and from different assessments. Some bonds for Roads and Sewers are specific to a certain locale or project. Other's aren't. If you're in government, you know this exercise. Since Roads and Sewers is unionized, their employment practices are different, as well.
Big problem? Not really. Second generation ERPs let you manage each individual group in the most efficient way and still maintain good information and control at the top level. These ERPs allow each group to operate under its own individual constraints. For example:
*You can determine which functions are to be centralized or decentralized. If Purchasing is to be centralized, your system can easily integrate the important information going both to and coming from the operating units. To assure Purchasing can always be contacted, your client/server network can provide alternate routes for the operating units. This way, if one path is missing, data simply takes a detour. This is called redundancy.
*Project overruns raise the ire of taxpayers. To help avoid this, you can incorporate complete project and job management with work breakdown structures. These breakdowns would provide detailed cost collection and reporting by project in your multi-tiered structure. You can also be electronically tied to your contracting vendor, who could report status on costs and progress in realtime. (In the commercial world, enterprise-wide includes the company, its vendors and its customers!)
*With this much data flowing around, how do you keep it on a "need to know" basis? Your first level of security is at the log-on screen, where a user must enter a valid ID and password. For each user, the system administrator defines and authorizes which modules may be accessed, the programs within an approved module and what data capabilities the user has -- e.g. add, change, delete, inquire. Now, your users have the required functionality without over-exposing sensitive information or compromising data integrity.
What else will enterprise-wide client/server computing provide a city, county or state? Look to your local corporations for guidance. For instance, do you have a lot of money tied up in inventory, or do services sometimes suffer due to lack of inventory? When these situations arise, do you pay extra for a solution? Your commercial cousins have solved these problems using the various applications and modules you find in modern ERPs. They also consolidate the purchases of items used in common by various divisions to get the best pricing.
For example, how much did your organization spend on tires last year? Every vehicle under your domain uses them and they all wear out. With an ERP system, you would know not only the answer but also how many tires of each type are needed for safety stock, where they need to be stored, who you are buying from and at what price. You could even have a system that automatically orders more tires of a certain type once your safety stock level is reached.
How to Start
Schedule meetings with representatives from several of the leading ERP firms. Generally outline your vision and let them show you how they've helped others. Working together, you can devise an enterprise-wide, client/server computing system that will stretch your revenue dollars.
Chuck Olinger is vice president of marketing at Relevant Business Systems Inc. in San Ramon, Calif. Internet:
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