CONNECTING AND COMMUNICATING
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THE MAGNET In 2000, MITTS Ltd embarked on several projects to upgrade the MAGNET, considering a host of new technologies and means to improve it and render it more cost-effective, simpler to manage and efficient in terms of performance. The GovNet 2000 project, involving the re-design and implementation of the Internet infrastructure, was launched
in June by the Board in order to ensure that the Government has at its service a highly available, responsive and quality electronic communication and transaction medium which, is completely self-sufficient and independent in connecting to upstream Internet Service Providers. The investment for this initiative was directed towards
introducing new Internet networking infrastructure, the installation of new security equipment and the increasing of bandwidth from 386k to a 3MB by 2001 and a further 3MB by early 2002. The importance of this investment is also accentuated by the fact that Internet is designated by the e-Government strategy as the primary delivery channel to access government services over the next three years. Through ITCS Department, a new solution for remote access services to the MAGNET was designed. In September 2000, the Board, aware of the limitations of the existing remote access infrastructure, endorsed an investment to introduce new remote access technology, directed to facilitate access for government users by increasing the ratio of modem connectivity per user. In October 2000, the Board activated an end-to-end technology audit of the MAGNET. The audit is directed to look at the physical network infrastructure, at software applications, and the provision of service to MITTS Ltd clients and end-users. The audit is a second independent external review carried out by MITTS Ltd following a similar audit conducted six years ago. The audit of the network and of the software applications will solicit end-user input and internal input within MITTS Ltd, and will cover design issues of be-spoke MITTS Ltd applications. MITTS Ltd also worked on the design of an Enterprise Management Architecture (EMA) to manage the MAGNET more efficiently and effectively.
