The Australian Electoral Commission Initiates Shift from NEXTDC Facilities
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The Australian Electoral Commission Relocates to CDC Data Centres
Quick Read
- AEC secures an $8 million agreement with CDC Data Centres.
- The migration must be finished before the upcoming federal election.
- The contract is valid until 2034, with possible extensions up to 2036.
- Concentrate on confirming that IT systems are stable, secure, and prepared for elections.
- The move involves reducing on-site infrastructure.
The Transition Plan
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is shifting its operations from NEXTDC facilities to CDC Data Centres, aiming to finish the migration before the forthcoming federal election. This transition is a component of a larger strategy to guarantee the security and reliability of election IT systems.
Contract Details
On July 2, 2023, the AEC entered into an $8 million agreement with CDC Data Centres. This contract spans a decade, running through to 2034, with possible extensions until 2036. Notably, this new contract overlaps by six months with the existing ten-year agreement with NEXTDC, which is scheduled to expire at the end of 2024.
Considerations for Timing and Election
The timing of this transition is critical. The Australian Electoral Commission’s (AEC) existing agreement with NEXTDC, located in Bruce, a suburb of Canberra, was scheduled to end on December 11, 2024. Since there is a possibility that the 2024/25 federal election might be announced in the latter half of 2024, the AEC had to finalize the migration by September 2024 to prevent substantial risks to IT operations during the election.
Guaranteeing Stability and Safety of the System
An AEC representative highlighted the significance of this shift to ensure secure, reliable, and ready-to-use IT systems for elections. CDC Data Centres secured the contract through a competitive bidding process managed by a panel put together by the Digital Transformation Agency.
Reducing Workforce and Investing in Cloud Services
The transition to CDC Data Centres offers the AEC a chance to reduce its on-site infrastructure. Currently, the data centre accommodates essential WAN infrastructure, internal business systems, and election delivery services. By shifting to CDC Data Centres, the AEC intends to enhance its cloud capabilities, thereby decreasing the need for physical data centre space.
Key Milestones
The AEC has established four main milestones for this transition, all of which must be achieved before October.
- Setting up the new CDC facility
- Creation of fundamental transport services
- Relocation of AEC infrastructure
- Carrying out assurance tasks for the 2024/25 federal election, including disaster recovery tests and high-availability failover procedures.
Updating Fundamental Voting Mechanisms
This shift is a component of a broader initiative by the AEC to update its fundamental election systems. In recent years, the commission has implemented major enhancements to ensure their systems can address modern requirements and obstacles.
Summary
The Australian Electoral Commission is shifting from NEXTDC facilities to CDC Data Centres in a strategic effort to guarantee secure and dependable IT systems for future elections. This $8 million contract highlights a wider initiative to modernize and reduce on-premises infrastructure while enhancing cloud capabilities. The migration is planned meticulously to prevent any disruptions before possible federal elections in 2024/25.
Q&A
Q: What is the reason behind the AEC transitioning from NEXTDC to CDC Data Centres?
A:
The initiative seeks to maintain the safety, stability, and security of the AEC’s IT systems in preparation for upcoming elections. Additionally, it provides a chance to reduce on-site infrastructure and focus on cloud investments.
Q: How much is the new contract worth and how long will it last?
A:
The AEC entered into an $8 million agreement with CDC Data Centres for a duration of 10 years, extending until 2034, with potential prolongations up to 2036.
Q: When will the transition be finished?
A:
The migration is scheduled to be finished before October 2024 to mitigate any risks related to the possible federal election in the latter half of 2024.
Q: What are the main steps in this transition?
A:
The main objectives consist of readying the new CDC facility, setting up essential carriage services, transitioning AEC infrastructure, and finalizing assurance tasks for the forthcoming federal election, which includes disaster recovery tests and high availability failovers.
Q: In what ways does this transition align with the AEC’s overarching strategy?
A:
This initiative is a component of a broader strategy by the AEC to update its primary election systems and ensure they align with current requirements and obstacles.
What particular infrastructure is planned to be housed at the new data center?
A:
The upcoming data centre will accommodate essential WAN infrastructure, internal business platforms, and election support services. This shift will also facilitate greater investments in cloud technologies.