Technology Futures in Local Gov TV 2 PDF

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Ripe for the picking?

Technology futures in local government
Consulting
21618 rt Ripe for the pick 18/10/07 12:02 Page 1
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Contents
Foreword 1
Summary 2
Anytime, anywhere Mobile and wireless 3
Knowing me. Knowing you Security 9
Sound foundations Infrastructure 13
Joining IT all up Architecture 17
Conclusion 21
1
Foreword
At a time when technology is fundamentally changing peoples
daily lives... I am keen that the excitement, motivation and
momentum that the strategy generated are not lost as we work
towards putting it into action. (Ian Watmore Transformational
Government, March 2006).
It is hard to disagree with the sentiments that technology has a
major role to play in transforming local government. When
combined with a transformation of people, process and data,
it is clearly helping to provide better quality and more efficient
services and fundamentally, services which are more focussed
around the citizen.
It is also fair to say that considerable determination will be required
by all parties involved to achieve these ambitious objectives.
However, technology and its proponents has a bad track record in
presenting itself as a quick-fix solution and it is all too easy to
choose a solution that is not yet ripe for the picking. All that
excitement, motivation and momentum needs to be grounded in
reality. So whilst there are various directives originating from central
government which have a technology impact, we believe that a
longer-term view of technology will help to inform the debate
around how to realise the benefits that technology can bring to
local government.
Overall ICT spending by Western European governments will exceed
25 billion by 2009 according to researcher IDC
1
. Just over a half of
the expenditure is expected to come from local government
reaching 13 billion by 2009. It is largely left to local authorities to
decide how they should deliver electronic services. Not surprisingly,
local authorities face a barrage of technology hype from vendors
describing how they can fulfil their obligations with a range of
emerging technologies.
This report cuts through the hype and presents a clear analysis
of the business relevance and timeliness of four main strands of
technology which will enable local authorities to achieve effective
connected government. This is not an exhaustive list the
technologies have been chosen because of their simultaneous ability
to offer both significant benefits to local government services whilst
at the same time presenting a number of risks that need to be
clearly understood and managed. Security of access to services must
be balanced by ease of use and concerns about civil liberties.
They must also take account of general advances in technologies
such as broadband communications, mobile phones and wireless.
New strategies for integrating services must be underpinned by
robust infrastructural technologies and take account of advances
in systems architecture.
Analysis of the current state of these key technologies is
accompanied by practical examples of local and central government
projects which illustrate the benefits to forward-looking authorities.
Weve also used the terminology flowering to indicate where
technologies should be approached with caution and ripe fruit
where they are mature enough to adopt.
Mark Lawrie
Partner
1. IDC, Western Europe, Government Sector IT Spending Forecast Update, 2005-2009.
2
Anytime, anywhere Mobile and wireless
Technology Verdict Find out more
Wireless Flowering Page 3
Location aware Ripe fruit Page 5
RFID Ripe fruit Page 6
Knowing me, knowing you Security
Smartcards Ripe fruit Page 9
Biometrics Flowering Page 10
Summary
Sound foundations Infrastructure
Broadband Ripe fruit Page 13
Opensource Flowering Page 14
Joining IT all up Architecture
Service Oriented Flowering Page 17
Architecture
Middleware Ripe fruit Page 18
Thin-clients Ripe fruit Page 19
and Data
Centralisation
This report presents a clear analysis on the business relevance of four main strands of technology Mobile and wireless, Security,
Infrastructure and Architecture. We have used the terminology flowering to indicate where technologies should be approached with
caution and ripe fruit where they are mature enough to adopt now. The table below summarises each of the technologies featured in
the report.
3
Mobile and wireless technologies promise much in terms of
efficiency and work flexibility. These will be increasingly hard for
councils to ignore as they can widen user access to council services,
transform the way property is used and improve business processes,
particularly in areas where mobile working is required.
Surprisingly, local government has been slow to take on mobile and
wireless technologies. A recent survey by SOCITM, the professional
association for ICT managers working in local government, notes
that the change in the use of mobile devices has been evolutionary
not revolutionary
2
. We believe this will change.
Many different technologies come together to support mobile
working through wireless networks. Location aware systems,
wireless networks and radio frequency identification devices are
seen as three key enabling technologies.
Wireless
Background
Wireless technology has evolved quickly through several iterations
and wireless connectivity is already widely available. Although the
wireless protocols are evolving rapidly, the range of devices and
applications that can utilise them is also evolving to meet increasing
demand for mobility. Email, PDAs and phone technologies are
converging with new gadgets providing a combination of functions
in ever smaller packages. ICT analyst Richard Holway recently
predicted that mobile phones will soon be the only item people will
carry with them replacing keys, identity cards, passports, credit
cards and, eventually, even medical information. For councils,
these developments open up more flexibility in the way in which
employees work, and increase the ways in which citizens can access
services.
Anytime, anywhere Mobile and wireless
Currently the whole range of wireless technologies from simple
2G and 2.5G mobile phones based on the GSM network standard,
through to GPRS-based 3G and 4G or WiFi offer escalating levels
of service and functionality. The later generation mobile phones
(2.5G and 3G) can support data services in addition to voice
offering the potential for real time information services and even
Web and email access. We must also not forget the impact of
Voice over IP (VoIP) technologies discussed later.
But 4G WiFi technology, with its high bandwidth and functionality,
is likely to be the most pervasive. So-called WiFi hotspots are
springing up in many places and offer full connectivity through
laptop or personal digital assistants (PDA). The evolution of WiMAX
is extending this vision even further through faster speeds and
greater ranges.
According to researcher In-Stat Marketing, sales of WiFi-enabled
devices grew by 67 per cent in 2005, and now the majority of
laptops are WiFi enabled.
Value to local government
Access to services is one of the main challenges facing local
government and wireless devices are an obvious solution. In the UK
there are more mobile phones than people and a growing number
are buying portable computers, suggesting that wireless will become
a widely used means of connectivity.
Local government can leverage this phenomenon to give access to
up-to date information such as live railway timetables and traffic
news. Mobile devices can also be used to make payments such as
admission charges to museums or public transport fares. Wireless
technology is also breaking down boundaries not only are public
WiFi links opening up council services but they are beginning
to help re-write democratic rules, allowing better access to decision
makers. Portable devices are generally cheaper than expensive home
PCs, and with more services available to more people, this could be
an important step to empowering more people.
2. SOCITM IT Trends in Local Government 2006/7.
4
Barriers
The rapid evolution of wireless technology has created a wide
variety of products with different standards and functionality which
makes the choice of a future proof technology difficult. As the
market expands and the technology matures over the next two
years, this will, of course, change. Meanwhile, caution is
recommended.
Over time, advances in technology will allay current concerns about
performance and reliability and remove reservations about wireless
communication compared with traditional wired systems. The
barrier to implementing wireless networks in particular has been
security many authorities do not currently have the infrastructure
capable of integrating secure WiFi.
Other barriers to acceptance could be less easy to overcome. Issues
of civil liberties and privacy will need debate. And wireless networks
are also prone to security threats which could be difficult to trap.
There also needs to be some caution in viewing wireless technologies
as a panacea in reducing the digital divide if people cant afford
the technology, then quite simply the effort may be in vain.
Verdict flowering
The wide take-up of mobile devices in the mass market is an
opportunity local government can use to deliver information services
at relatively low cost. The network and the terminal device are
free all the local authority needs to invest in is the end service.
The current lack of technical standards and relatively immature
technology, coupled with privacy and security problems, will delay
local governments use of wireless if only for a short time.
A number of authorities however are already ahead of the game,
and are working with providers to offer public WiFi networks both
increasing access to services and breaking down boundaries.
Examples
Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) in South Wales
recently installed a public WiFi access system over a multiservice
provider network. The council says the system, from WiFi supplier
The Cloud, puts Bridgend in a good position to achieve the
Governments ambition for councils to provide universal
on-line access to public services by 2008.
Westminster Council are pioneering a wireless network
originally designed to benefit Council employees on the move,
but now extending to serve both residents and local businesses.
The service, currently in a pilot stage will provide CCTV coverage,
remote working and public WiFi hotspots when fully operational.
The London Borough of Islington has signed a deal with
Handheld PCs to provide a wireless mobile computing network
to deliver email on the move and provide full PC synchronisation.
More than 500 Islington Council staff, including managers,
technical staff and social workers, will have full wireless access to
email, diaries and some back office systems.
Three London Boroughs along with other UK authorities are
creating city centre WiFi zones. These are making a step change
from traditional hot-spots in terms of availability and usability.
The London boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, Camden and
Islington will all go live this summer. The Cloud is also currently
rolling out a hotzone for the City of London.
Within local government, wireless technology enables more
flexibility in mobile and remote working. Staff can connect to
operational systems when off site, and many councils are using
such technology to make savings through the transformation of
business processes. Case notes for example can be entered into a
handheld device and a query returned instantaneously, reducing the
time spent on a particular case and preventing the need to translate
written notes into electronic data. Allowing staff to work more
easily at remote locations not only makes the management of cases
more flexible and effective, but it also enables savings through hot-
desking and allowing staff to work at home.
5
Location Aware
Background
Location aware technologies enable mobile workers to know where
they are and, more importantly, to be located easily by central
control. Emergency services vehicles en route to an incident, for
example, can use location aware technology to find their destination
quickly. Controllers can use it to deploy resources by locating the
nearest vehicles to the incident. Controversially, wireless technology
can also be used for tracking either to limit movements of
criminals on parole or to help with the protection of children.
Two main, but different technologies are currently available
one based on mobile telephones and one which uses the Global
Positioning System (GPS). The choice depends upon three factors:
cost, geographical coverage and the level of accuracy. In broad
terms, mobile telephone-based location systems are less expensive
than GPS but they are less accurate and tend to be limited to
urban areas. GPS is best suited to rural areas where cell phone
coverage is limited but it is more expensive. There are also
emerging, but less developed public WiFi and RFID networks on
the way.
Many local government services are mobile by their very nature.
Management of mobile resources demands good communications
whether they are mission-critical emergency services or less critical,
day-to-day services such as refuse collection. The ability to track
staff and assets through location aware technologies, therefore,
has enormous potential to make better use of resources and save
on costs.
Location aware technology can also be used to track council staff in
potentially dangerous situations. A social worker visiting a difficult
client, for example, can be tracked automatically and monitored to
ensure their safety.
Examples
The Commission for Rural Communities (to replace the
Countryside Agency) found a pilot study on mobile work, which
used a range of portable devices, saved individual employees
between four and twelve hours a week. (Computer Weekly,
November 2005)
Croydon Council is running a pilot called Airtext which uses SMS
to send air quality information to residents mobile phones.
(Computer Weekly, November 2005)
Barriers
While location aware technology is evolving quickly, there are still
some technical barriers. The accuracy is variable especially when based
on mobile phone systems. Crossing cell boundaries, for example, can
lead to loss of signal and an inaccurate location reading.
In rural areas, cell phone coverage is currently limited and significant
investment in mobile networks by suppliers is still needed to increase
coverage. Integration is also proving difficult across different
application providers.
Verdict ripe fruit
Location aware technology has wide application in local government
both to track people and resources and to help emergency services
locate incident sites. GPS and cell phone-based location
technologies are advancing rapidly and, after a slow start, it seems
likely that the technology will spread quickly in local government.
6
RFID tags can be scanned automatically out of sight of the reader
which makes them ideally suited to applications where line of sight
is difficult or fast processing is required. Current RFID technology
can scan up to 50 tags per second. RFID tags are also difficult to
copy and, thus, more secure than other methods of identification.
Potential applications of RFID include payment applications such as
road toll access, parking enforcement and meter reading. The most
promising applications, however, are those where RFID tags are used
to locate and identify items or individuals. Many libraries, for
example, use RFID to tag loan items. The tags fulfil a dual function
removing the need for a librarian to record loans manually and as a
security device to prevent theft. Scanners located at library exits can
detect items which have not been checked out properly. The same
principle can be applied to any physical object. SUN Microsystems,
for example, recently announced a system which uses RFID to track
ICT equipment. Although some authorities have already begun to
use RFID in libraries for example, their use has often been to replace
the functionality of previous bar code systems. The next leap is
going to be in using RFID to help locate items such as books,
making a step change in the value that this technology can provide.
RFID tags can also be used for tracking people such as children
attending leisure events or daycare facilities to ensure they do not
get lost.
RFID
Background
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices are machine-readable
tags which can be used to locate and identify items and
individuals. The applications range from identification of people and
animals through to transport payments and asset tracking.
The tag consists of a tiny microchip and an antenna enclosed in a
thin plastic casing. Although the technology has been around for
some time, it is only recently that demand has accelerated. Gartner
estimates that worldwide spending on RFID rose 39 percent in 2005
to reach $504 million. Gartner predicts a market worth $3 billion by
2010
3
.
RFID looks likely to replace bar codes and other machine-readable
codes in some applications such as asset tracking and library books.
Unlike bar codes, RFID tags do not need line of sight to be read and
multiple tags can be read quickly. RFID tags are also rugged, have a
long life and can be reused.
3. Gartner December 2005 Market Share and Forecast: Radio Frequency Identification, Worldwide, 2004-2010.
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Barriers
The main barriers to use of RFID have traditionally been lack of
standards and the cost of readers and tags. Increased
standardisation and technical advances are expected to bring costs
down, however.
Currently several different RFID technologies compete for space in
the market although some rationalisation is inevitable as the
technology matures.
There are also concerns over privacy and data protection issues.
Potentially RFID tags could be used covertly to monitor human
behaviour.
Examples
Sutton Library Service is using RFID tags in a project to widen
access to library services. It says the benefits have been
significant both releasing staff to spend more time with visitors
and extending opening hours. On the administrative side, the
library is able to display books in new ways and track and record
usage more flexibly.
RFID based cards can be adapted to provide access to local
authority leisure facilities, libraries, health centres and other
public services. When combined with charging facilities it is
possible to top up a card and use it to purchase services. At least
one London local authority is reported to be looking at the
possibility of extending the Oyster RFID-based travel card for use
as a library and leisure centre card.
Verdict ripe fruit
Use of RFID in libraries and for tracking assets is now well advanced
and, with prices falling quickly, the technology shows promise in
many areas. It is also worth noting that the UK telecoms regulator
Ofcom gave RFID a boost at the end of 2005 by setting aside a radio
frequency band range exclusively for RFID signals.
Wireless and Mobile the Deloitte bottom line
Although wireless technology has not yet been taken up widely
by local government, this looks set to change quickly. The many
benefits that flow from wireless technology easier access to
services, greater flexibility from mobile working and cost savings
will be difficult to ignore.
The lack of standards and the relative immaturity of some wireless
technologies are causes for concern and may slow adoption.
But the main barriers are likely to be worries over privacy, data
protection and civil liberties.
The many benefits that flow from wireless technology easier
access to services, greater flexibility from mobile working and
cost savings will be difficult to ignore.
8
9
Local government is in the front line of the drive to give citizens
increased access to the services which affect their daily lives.
New technologies are making access easier by the day, but this
comes with a price.
Breaking down access barriers is a major part of local governments
mission, but providing easy access to services raises significant
security issues. Local authorities must ensure that their access
strategy does not expose systems and data. Effective security is also
essential to prevent fraud.
Identification and authentication technologies can be used to
verify known facts about an individual and enable secure access.
Two technologies currently under consideration are smart cards
and biometric identification.
Smart cards
Background
A smart card is a standard plastic card with a machine-readable
storage chip embedded in its surface. Smart cards can store any kind
of digital data and are commonly used with a personal identification
number (PIN). This is called two-factor identification and
authentication something you have (the card) and something you
know (the PIN).
For local government, there are many obvious business processes
where such identification and authentication is required. Typical
examples would include the payment of benefits, transport and
leisure services. Smart cards can also store biometric data to provide
alternative ways to identify and authenticate a user passports for
example are moving in this direction.
Various forms of smart card have existed since the 1970s, although
the first widespread applications only surfaced in the 1990s in the
French banking sector. More recently UK banks have replaced
magnetic stripe payment cards with chip and pin cards based on
smart card technology.
The success of smart cards in the banking sector and the emerging
evidence that chip and pin is decreasing fraud, suggests that they
could be of significant value to local government. Smart cards
enable reasonably secure access to multiple services with a single
token which increases convenience for citizens who only need to
remember one PIN.
Smart cards also offer the potential to customise services and
personalise them for individual citizens. The card can, for example,
carry data with language preferences or help for the visually
impaired so services can be tailored accordingly.
In addition, local government departments can use smart cards to
gather management information on usage. This can inform decision
making about changes to services and support infrastructure that
directly or indirectly affect the citizen.
Knowing me. Knowing you Security
Examples
The Oyster Card is a contactless smart card used in the Greater
London area for season ticket and pay as you go travel.
The reduced long-term costs of the scheme are allowing greater
discounts to be offered against cash purposes savings which
can be reinvested or passed on to users. The system looks likely
to have an exciting future with e-money capabilities being
added to allow quick payments at newsagents for example.
The Connexions Card scheme provides a secure smart card,
designed for 16-19 year olds. It enables them to collect reward
points for learning, work-based training and voluntary activities.
The points can be exchanged for discounted or free goods and
services and other rewards. The Card can also be used as proof
of age and holds a photograph.
Occupational Health Smart Cards (OHSCs) enable most doctors
to confirm their fitness to practice, in terms of clinical
competence and continuing professional development, health
clearance, CRB assurances etc. The scheme aims to reduce the
reliance on paper procedures. Smart cards also enable hot
desking and interoffice roaming, allowing users to connect back
to their data from different places.
Barriers
Smart cards sound a great idea but can we apply them in local
government? While smart card technology is mature, there are
still barriers to its use in local government applications. The card
readers and the cards themselves are expensive and there are still
competing technologies and multiple standards, making the choice
of technology difficult and integration a complex business.
The barriers are not just technological. The use of smart cards raises
the perennial issues of privacy, data protection and political concerns
about the threat to civil liberties. There are also potential problems
in sharing data across government departments and in some cases
data protection is preventing services from being delivered.
The actual registration process is also proving difficult to implement
authenticating users via multiple access channels for multiple
service requests is a real challenge that has to be overcome.
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Verdict ripe fruit
Smart card technology is now sufficiently well advanced to provide
secure delivery of local government services to citizens. The rapid
spread and success of chip and pin smart cards in reducing fraud in
banking and retail will help to accelerate acceptance. When coupled
with central governments consideration of national ID cards, it
seems likely that smart card technology will have an important role
to play in identifying citizens and giving them access to services.
A national ID card scheme will likely to be a catalyst for change and
improve current registration and authentication issues.
Biometrics
Background
Biometrics is the automated recognition of a person based on
human characteristics. Many council services ranging from elections
to benefits depend on ensuring the person is who they claim to be.
Fraud can be dramatically reduced if you can be sure you know who
youre dealing with. Fingerprinting, iris and face recognition are now
well advanced and offer the greatest potential. Other biometrics
methods such as voice-print recognition and signature analysis are
less mature.
Implementations of biometrics work in two ways. Data can be
stored in a portable token such as a smart card or radio frequency
identification device (RFID), read with a special-purpose reader and
compared to real world data from a local scanner. Alternatively, the
scanned data can be compared to biometric data stored in a central
database.
Biometric methods are acknowledged to be more secure than a
password or a PIN. This improves overall system security when used
to access services. The international shift towards biometrics, mainly
promoted by the US government, will stimulate development and
commoditisation of biometric technologies. Not only will this bring
costs down, it will also promote wider acceptance of biometrics as a
method of identification and authentication.
The Local Government Association (LGA) are particularly enthusiastic
about the need for a well managed citizen reference scheme they
have recognised the role biometrics could play in the development
of e-democracy, the Census and identifying children
4
.
Examples
The Ohio Board of Pharmacy uses fingerprinting for authorising
prescription orders. It has installed 800 workstations that can check
that the prescriber is allowed to issue an order for a prescription.
Biometric technology is used in the UKs asylum system.
Asylum seekers are fingerprinted and checked against UK and
EU databases. Over 150,000 applicants have been issued with a
high-tech ID card which provides a more secure and fraud
resistant way of tracking people through the system. As a result
of this investment 53 people have been prosecuted in the last
year for making fraudulent asylum applications.
4. Memorandum submitted by the Local Government Association, House of Commons Home Affairs Written Evidence, July 2004.
Barriers
Fingerprinting and iris recognition are the most promising biometric
technologies and significant progress has been made in their
development. Costs are still high but likely to fall quickly as
applications proliferate and usage increases. Questions of who will
pay for these technologies are also quite rightly raised by the LGA.
Like all security-related technologies, biometrics is seen as a
potential enemy of traditional civil liberties. Concerns over misuse
of biometric data and the possibilities of fooling biometric readers
with artificial fingerprints or iris images are also a barrier. Legal
implications and any liability involved needs to be clarified.
The international shift towards biometrics, mainly promoted by
the US government, will stimulate development and
commoditisation of biometric technologies.
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Verdict flowering
The use of biometrics is accelerating especially in light of growing
international demand for biometric passports. Several countries
including Hong Kong and Malaysia are already using biometric
identity cards.
In the UK, proposals to use biometrics in passports and other forms
of identification mean that it is only a matter of time before it is
included in local government plans. The cost savings that could
accrue to local government from use of a single card encoded with
biometric data will be significant. In addition, many countries have
included a digital signature in the smart chip which can provide
secure access to on-line services and applications.
Security the Deloitte bottom line
The pressure on local government to deliver electronic services to
citizens must be supported by the best possible security. Biometrics
and smart card technology can fill this gap and give citizens secure,
but simple, access to the services they need.
It seems inevitable in the long term that a combination of biometrics
and smart cards will become the dominant method of personal
identification and verification. Local government should monitor
both social and technological developments closely and take
account of how national ID cards could figure in their plans.
There is still considerable effort required to integrate access
channels, standardise security processes and solving problems
around security roles, authentication and levels of access. A national
ID card scheme would no doubt prove a catalyst to overcoming
these obstacles.
12
13
Sound foundations Infrastructure
Examples
The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames was the first UK
local authority to convert to VoIP. It aims to use the technology
to improve services at call centres and cut phone bills. It also
expects to use the VoIP network to increase remote working and
hot desking.
Cheshire County Council is working with Memorex Telex to
design and implement a countywide broadband solution to
connect schools, libraries and Council offices throughout the
region.
The Eastserve initiative, set up by Manchester City Council is
the largest UK scheme to transform one of the poorest
neighbourhoods in the city. Eastserve has enabled over 3,500
local residents to gain access to information and communications
technology (ICT) and on-line services, backed up by training and
community-based support services. Eastserve is now claimed to
be the largest all-wireless community-based network in Europe.
Broadband communications infrastructure offers much to local
government. Not only can broadband reduce communications costs
it also provides greater flexibility through integration of voice and
data and interactivity.
The low cost of telephone calls made through VoIP (home VoIP
users would recognise this as products such as Skype), enables local
councils to cut their internal telephone bills and support remote and
home working therefore allowing more flexible working and
reducing property costs. VoIP can also support integrated voice and
data applications for use in contact centres even virtual ones.
Broadband always-on data networking can deliver similar cost
reductions and greater flexibility to support remote working for
council employees. Broadband digital TV enables local government
to deliver interactive information services via broadband.
After some four decades of evolution in delivering services, many
councils have inherited complex and expensive ICT infrastructures.
ICT departments have helped provide key hardware infrastructure
such as telephones and PCs, along with line of business software
like revenues, benefits and finance applications. More latterly, they
have been tasked with the e-Government agenda, providing web
access and transforming business processes driven by technologies
such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM).
As a result, most have converged networks which have grown from
several waves of technology mainframes, minicomputers, PCs,
the Web and, increasingly, voice-over-IP (VoIP) digital telephony and
audio-visual systems. The emerging trend of the convergence of
data networks and voice networks promises many benefits but it
also demands a coherent, integrated infrastructure to realise them.
Two emerging infrastructure technologies broadband
communications and Open Source software offer an effective way
to build such an infrastructure and enable local government to
deliver services at low cost. Broadband provides the foundation for
delivering flexible interactive services and Open Source software cuts
application costs and removes dependency on vendors.
Broadband
Background
Broadband is a communications technology which enables rapid
transmission of large volumes of digital data in both directions.
In the last two years broadband communications has caused a minor
revolution in home communications, and it is the most likely catalyst
in the e-Government agenda, opening up council services to those
with internet access, enabling on-line payments, and access to
council information. This however, is only the beginning with video
communications becoming more widespread and telecommunications
becoming cheaper and more flexible.
Currently in the UK, ADSL broadband operates mainly in the
1-2 megabit range although faster/higher bandwidth services are
being rolled out including SDSL. ADSL-based broadband services
use standard telephone lines to provide high-speed digital
communications at a fraction of the cost of earlier technologies such
as ISDN. The result is that at the end of 2006, nearly 80% of
connections were broadband opening the door to many new
applications
5
.
Three key emergent broadband applications VoIP, digital TV and
high-speed data networking all offer the potential to reduce
communications costs and create flexible, converged applications.
VoIP, for example, enables unlimited voice telephony through the
Internet for no more than the broadband connection cost.
Broadband digital TV can handle streamed live video and two-way
interaction.
Barriers
While broadband has achieved a level of maturity, there are still gaps
and the potential for security breaches.
VoIP technology still has some way to go although usage is
increasing rapidly and suppliers now claim quality and reliability
comparable to traditional voice systems. A standard for VoIP has still
to emerge and there are several competing and incompatible
technologies.
5. National Statistics.
14
In addition to cost savings, Open Source has also gained support
because it is less likely to be subject to hacking or disrupted with
rogue programs. Open Source software needs to be more robust
than proprietary software and is, therefore, less easy to break.
Furthermore, the open development model for Open Source
software such as Linux, Open Office and Apache has made it a
continued source of innovation.
The main value of Open Source software as an infrastructural
component lies in its cost model. A lot of it is free or very low cost.
While it still needs support and a coherent upgrade strategy, Open
Source in some situations can offer a lower cost of ownership than
proprietary alternatives.
Use of Open Source removes dependence on vendors and their
development strategies. Users can follow their own development
path and customise Open Source software to suit their requirements
within a standard framework. Standardisation is, in effect, the
oxygen of Open Source. It provides a solid direction and more
flexibility to plug in new components than closed source solutions.
Finally, the open development model could potentially produce
better quality code because it is subject to wide scrutiny and testing.
Open Source uses an iterative development model which enables
rapid feedback between developers and testers in the user
community. However, it could be argued that test and release cycles
are not as comprehensive as in commercial software, revealing why
hybrid Open Source and Proprietary solutions are often favoured.
Most major manufacturers and leading software developers have
committed significant resources to supporting Open Source
software. Sun, IBM and HP, for example, are strongly behind the
movement. Companies like BEA and Oracle are using Open Source
to underpin aspects of their proprietary products.
Ebays recent purchase of Skype the best known VoIP product
will doubtless increase home VoIP usage, but this is currently not
suitable for enterprise use because conversations cannot be
recorded/archived. Other more suitable providers for commercial use
include Mitel, Cisco, Siemens and Nortel.
Digital TV also suffers from several competing technologies some
based on broadband and others based on earlier TV broadcast
technologies. This could act as a brake on take up of broadband
digital TV.
The cultural change associated with increased home and remote
working could also be a limiting factor on the use of broadband
technologies.
Verdict ripe fruit
The popularity of broadband Internet in the UK makes it a
technology local government cannot ignore. The cost savings from
VoIP and the flexibility of converged broadband networks are two
potential benefits. While a move to broadband infrastructure is likely
in the long term, councils will be looking to include broadband in
their general network upgrade plans.
Open Source
Background
Open Source is essentially the software equivalent of sharing a
recipe rather than keeping the source code a corporate secret, the
code behind the software is fully available and can be distributed
freely. The Open Source software movement has therefore grown
out of two clear principles first, that source code should be open
and available and, second, that innovation is shared and enhanced.
It enables developers and users to obtain software at little or no cost
and improve it for everyones benefit. This can really benefit local
government, not only in reducing the costs of software
development, but the open nature can give greater control to
councils, taking power away from vendors and other suppliers.
While a move to broadband infrastructure is likely in the long
term, councils will be looking to include broadband in their
general network upgrade plans.
15
Verdict flowering
Open source software looks likely to become an important
component of local government ICT infrastructure in the next two
to five years. The collaborative nature of local government ICT suits
the open development model and offers the opportunity to produce
reliable, high quality applications at low cost.
Infrastructure the Deloitte bottom line
The move to a converged infrastructure demands new strategies
from local government. Councils need to create a robust and flexible
foundation to deliver a wide range of integrated services bridging
voice and data. Broadband communications, now well advanced in
consumer markets, can bring the same cost benefits to local
government services.
In some cases, Open Source software can
contribute further to reducing the cost of
infrastructure and deliver other
benefits such as robust security
and, in the long term, better
applications.
Examples
The Swiss government recently announced it was moving all its
systems to Novell SUSE Linux.
Birmingham City Council has started a trial of Open Source
software on desktops and servers, intended to determine
whether Open Source really delivers benefits. The Council will
move 1,500 desktops and the associated back-end servers in its
library service to Linux and other Open Source software
including OpenOffice and Firefox. The year-long trial will be
backed by government money, and include a final, neutral
assessment of the value of the move. Public terminals in libraries
will be shifted to Linux, as well as office systems in the library
service.
Dundee City Council evaluated a range of proprietary UNIX
systems, but were able to achieve greater cost savings and more
consolidation with an Open Source solution. Leveraging existing
in-house Open Source skills, the Council selected SUSE Linux
Enterprise Server users were not affected and the software has
been more reliable. Having highly available systems is proving to
help the Council increase the number of services it can offer to
residents.
Barriers
Open Source still faces some barriers to acceptance although they
are crumbling fast. Historically, support for Open Source has been a
problem but with big players such as Sun and IBM backing it
strongly and newcomers such as Spikesource offering professional
support services, this is no longer a problem.
There are concerns over the quality of some Open Source code and
that it comes with no guarantees. But as the Open Source model
evolves and more organisations take it on, this will be less of an
issue. Could Darwinian-based evolution result in the survival of the
fittest?
Use of Open Source could possibly cause problems of liability for
infringing code copyright and patents. The current legal dispute
between Unix owner SCO and the Linux development community is
an example. Interoperability has also proven an issue for applications
such as Microsoft Office and some Open Source applications are not
enterprise ready, suffering from scalability and resilience issues.
16
17
Councils have to provide a wide range of services, so its inevitable
that over the years they have built up a wide range of different
systems. The architecture of ICT infrastructure has also evolved over
four decades from central mainframes, through distributed mini-
computers to PC networks and todays internetworking Web
systems, which has also added complexity.
Many organisations have all of these technologies operating side by
side and want to bring them together. Providing front to back office
integration brings many benefits to improving access and making
savings through the transformation of business processes.
Authorities are also under pressure to work more collaboratively and
share services, so having technology that can talk to each other is
fundamental to the future of local government ICT, both within and
outside each council. National systems are increasingly being rolled
out with legal obligations for local government in the areas of
health, policing and childrens services councils therefore cannot
afford to operate in silos where these areas are concerned.
A services-based model of computing is seen as the next step in
the development of systems architecture and the solution to the
challenge of enterprise network integration. The architecture
needed to support a service model of computing is in the early
stages of development with manufacturers such as IBM and HP
investing significant amounts to make it a reality. But it is a complex
(and expensive) change and depends upon the successful
development of at least three key technologies service oriented
architecture, middleware and thin-client systems.
Service Oriented Architecture
Background
Service oriented architecture (SOA) concepts allow for business
functionality to be separated into granular modules and offered as
services which can be delivered through the Internet rather than
traditional applications. The processing of credit cards by many
councils already follows this model, preventing the need for each
council to have their own system whereas instead they simply
subscribe to a payment-taking service. Researcher Forrester
expected that 77 percent of large enterprises, 51 percent of
medium enterprises, and 46 percent of small enterprises to be
actively implementing SOA by the end of 2005.
SOA relies on a widely-accepted standards base to work. SOAP for
example is a messaging protocol which is used to encode XML-based
messages over the Internet. SOAP also adds and defines security
procedures. SOA-based systems rely on SOAP to handle all inter-
service communication and transportation, routing and interim
processing of XML messages. Each council therefore doesnt have to
reinvent the wheel with this type of architectural approach, and it can
be sure that the system at the other end understands the message.
Joining IT all up Architecture
BPEL is a standard based on XML which is used to define business
processes as packaged services. The latest Business Process
Modelling tools aim to generate BPEL code automatically and enable
non-technical business analysts to control process and orchestration
without exposure to code. It is this code that orchestrates a set
granular services invoking each sequentially to complete an
end-to-end business process.
Web Services provides the technical integration by which
interoperability can be achieved. By utilising the internet as a
transportation layer government bodies are no longer reliant on
specific middleware and integration technologies.
The service orientated nature of much local government activity
makes SOA very important. It enables a rich level of communication
between applications packaged as services. If defined correctly,
these services can provide a significant self-service capability for
councils and governments.
A further benefit of this service oriented approach, particularly due
to the standards-based approach to interoperability is to allow
greater collaboration between councils and their partners. In time,
with a greater adherence to the SOA approach, a council will be
able to share information more effectively with its local Police force,
community groups and PCTs for example.
In many cases services can be reused across government sectors and
councils where a task such as paying a tax or parking charge is
duplicated in a number of locations. This gives the flexibility in the
organisation, to change business processes and to outsource parts
of the services. Development costs are also significantly reduced as
services can simply be subscribed to, reducing procurement activity
and avoiding the software development process.
Examples
Several local authorities in London including the City of
Westminster and Tower Hamlets have installed Fiorano
Softwares SOA-based Enterprise backbone software to
integrate local authority and social services systems.
Halton Borough Council in Cheshire met the 2005 Modernising
Government deadlines a year early by installing Cape Clears
SOA-based software to integrate key applications. These include
its back-office systems, its Clarify CRM system, and its content
management system. The integrated system gives a single,
integrated view of individual citizens and their interactions with
the Council.
18
Examples
Sefton Council has installed Mayrises XML-based middleware to
improve services for its 300,000 residents with a new contact
centre that connects electronically to the councils computer
databases. The council is linking its Mayrise management
systems to its contact centre which handles up to 2000 calls per
day. The first phase sees integration of refuse collection and
street cleaning systems with the councils CRM, Northgate Front
Office and will enable contact centre staff to access live records
while taking calls. The second phase will provide access to street
lighting and highways information.
Middleware is a tried and tested technology for connecting
applications which need to share data, regardless of operating
platform. Local government can use it to link applications across
departments and to external partners the most obvious example
being the Government Connects initiative which is a range of secure
communication initiatives, designed to allow local authorities to
join-up with other bodies. It offers for example, the ability to
authenticate the people and organisations with whom the
authorities need to communicate.
More extensive implementations of middleware are transforming
councils by enabling the introduction of CRM systems and portals
which can talk to back-office systems. Citizens can potentially make
one phone call or log-on to a portal to deal with multiple queries.
Creating a more effective front-office makes the back-office more
efficient and allows experts to have greater focus on their core
activities.
Mature GUI-based, business process modelling tools have helped
refine the development of middleware-based integration. They allow
human interaction to complete and progress end-to-end processing
in a consistent manner. Used in conjunction with Business Process
Execution Language (BPEL), these tools can be used to automate
business processes with workflow engines and orchestration
although this is still in its infancy as a development technology
within government circles.
GC Exchange is a government sponsored middleware solution which
enables ICT systems to exchange information by translating data
from one format into another. It incorporates LGOL-Net, (originally
Govnet) part of a Pathfinder project designed by Sunderland City
Council. It was further developed under the Local Authority
Websites National Project. As part of the enhancement of LGOL-Net
for Government Connect scheme, GC Exchange will include
guidance and pre-loaded applications for local authorities.
Barriers
The main barrier to SOA is a lack of understanding about what it
can do. Although it can bring long-term cost saving benefits, the
move from traditional siloed applications to a service model is a
non-trivial task. The skills and experience to achieve this difficult
transition are in short supply.
All of the major ICT vendors are promoting SOA including IBM,
Microsoft and BEA. But as the hype around SOA fades, many
are now asking how SOA can effect local government ICT.
In environments where functionality is coupled directly to local
applications, the concept requires considerable analysis and in
some cases initial redevelopment work.
Finally there are concerns about the performance of service-based
applications. Extra generalised processing could incur a
performance overhead and infrastructures then need to be tuned
accordingly to meet service level agreements.
Verdict flowering
All of the major ICT vendors are promoting SOA including IBM,
Microsoft and BEA. But as the hype around SOA fades, many
governments are asking how SOA can affect local government and
council ICT. SOA is being used by all the vendors to describe a
plethora of new technologies and there is still some confusion.
Authorities should be aware of how process and organisational
changes can realise the benefits.
The standards base is still evolving but is now well advanced and
widely supported. Long-term benefits of SOA will only come from
extensive cooperation and initiatives such as Government Connects
which will join up agencies and enable enhancements of business
processes.
Middleware
Background
Middleware surfaced originally in the 1980s from distributed
client/server systems where it provided ways to link applications
together at the transaction level. Since then, middleware has
evolved into an enabler for higher level integration of business
processes. For local government, such technologies are facilitating
the transformation of councils, by enabling contact centres to
manage the front line of citizen-interaction and reengineer the way
in which the back office works.
Developers can now use graphical user interface (GUI) business
process modelling tools to integrate applications. Middleware also
enables an extra layer of processing which can add new
functionality to existing systems such as data interception, extra
validation or transformation. Middleware is therefore very closely
aligned to the transformation of local government because of the
benefits it can bring to enabling efficient business processes and
improving services through joined up working.
19
Barriers
The main problems with middleware are the upfront costs and the
upheaval associated with implementing it. Significant design effort
and analysis of data structures is required before any middleware
technology is deployed. It can be hard to justify the business case for
single integration projects. Multiple integration projects over the
long term, however, can yield a return on investment. Integration
strategies are often poor and need to be of a higher standard to
ensure success.
The technology including infrastructure cost and modelling tools
is relatively expensive. The lack of standards across vendors
middleware products could be a barrier to interoperability.
And the need for ICT support staff to understand a wide range of
vendor tool sets could increase staff costs.
Verdict ripe fruit
While middleware is a proven method of integrating applications,
it is complex and expensive technology to implement. More
importantly, much of the space where middleware has proved
successful is under siege from more advanced, service-based
approaches such as SOA.
Thin-clients and Data centralisation
Background
Thin-client computing is a return to an earlier model of computing
the central mainframe and the terminal network. It offers cost
savings to local government by centralising infrastructure costs and
creates better services through the central management of data.
Important case files for example cannot be left on one persons
hard-drive, and data processes are forced to be more effectively
managed and controlled.
The processing load and data storage are centralised on a single
server complex with only the presentation technology or GUI
resident on thin-client terminal. Centralised processing and data
storage makes it easier to manage and control IT. Generally only
the server software needs to be changed when an upgrade or
enhancement is made. Thin-client technology such as Citrix have
helped to spread the concept and provide secure, remote access
to enterprise applications.
Thin-client technology and data centralisation bring infrastructure
management under stricter control. Deployment of and upgrades to
systems are, therefore, easier to control and less expensive than with
distributed systems. Similarly, centralising data enables tighter
control and more robust back-up and recovery.
Examples
The London Borough of Greenwich has implemented a Thin-
client Initiative to standardise IT and improve the quality and
security of vital data, reducing the potential for corruption.
It allows users to log on via terminals to network services and
provides a standardised desktop.
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham replaced its
personal computers and green-screen terminals with thin-client
technology. The Council supports about 100 office locations and
uses several Microsoft applications, which run on servers using
Microsofts Windows Terminal Services and Citrix MetaFrame.
The new thin-client system integrates current Windows-based
and legacy operating systems, the Internet, email and desktop
applications.
Hampshire County Councils Hantsnet service uses thin-client
technology to cut support and upgrade costs. Local government
departments across Hampshire now have access to cost-effective
modern applications aimed at delivering better services to
citizens. The council says it expects to make annual savings of at
least 4 million each year. Hantsnet was joint winner of the
2005 e-Government Efficiency award.
20
Thin-client technology also makes networks more secure by
removing responsibility for access from the terminal to the server.
It is harder for rogue software to penetrate the system and data is
more difficult to steal. The terminals themselves are also more future
proof, and can be used for longer periods, reducing the refresh cycle
and therefore the cost.
Councils can gain benefit from the increased flexibility thin-client
technology brings to support hotdesking, access-anywhere, mobile
and remote working.
Barriers
Thin-client technology relies entirely on the central server complex to
carry out processing. Not only does this mean network failure leads
to no IT being provided, it also increases the administrative burden
for central IT functions. Thin-client technology, therefore, demands
robust networks and resilient central systems. Failover systems, load
balancing and server clustering can provide the right level of
resilience.
Good performance relies on high bandwidth. Coverage is still patchy
across the UK, but improving.
The biggest barrier to thin-client computing is not technical,
however. PC users may resist attempts to take power away from
the desktop and resent new ways of working which take their data
away from them.
Verdict ripe fruit
The simple model of a centralised processing and a terminal
network is a well-proven method of distributing computer power.
It is relatively easy and low cost to manage and provides a more
secure environment than open PC networks. When combined with
convergent technologies such as VoIP telephony, thin-client
technology and data centralisation could solve many of the security,
management and data integrity challenges.
When combined with convergent technologies such as VoIP
telephony, thin-client technology and data centralisation could
solve many of the security, management and data integrity
challenges.
Architecture the Deloitte bottom line
The infrastructure technologies needed to build a service model of
computing are moving forward quickly. SOA provides a standards-
based framework to deliver processes packaged as services and
middleware enables high-level business process modelling to create
reusable service packages. Both are long-term technologies and
demanding to implement but they have substantial backing by
vendors and are expected to dominate. Thin-client technology offers
a relatively low-cost, low-effort method of centralising control of
enterprise networks and data stores a useful step towards the
service model.
Conclusion
The UK government has laid out a clear vision of how technology
can cut costs, improve efficiency and deliver better services to
citizens. The Transformational Government strategy notes:
The specific opportunities lie in improving transactional services
(eg. tax and benefits), in helping front-line public servants to be
more effective (eg. doctors, nurses, police and teachers), in
supporting effective policy outcomes (eg. in joined-up, multi-
agency approaches to offender management and domestic
violence), in reforming the corporate services and infrastructure
which government uses behind the scenes, and in taking swifter
advantage of the latest technologies developed for the wider
market.
There are numerous examples of local authorities grasping the nettle
and deploying the technologies described above successfully.
Continued future development will depend on greater collaboration
across government departments both technologically and
financially to gain from the economies of scale and the spread of
best practice.
Individual authorities will need to frame the development and
deployment of new technologies in the context of local demands.
But at the same time, they must take account of the wider context
and look for opportunities to apply working technology solutions
from other areas such as national government and the private
sector.
The evidence suggests that, while there is still a long journey ahead
to reach the ideal ICT environment to support local government,
the first steps have been taken and the benefits are quantifiable.
21
Contacts
For more information, please contact
Mike Turley
UK Public Sector Leader
+44 (0)20 7303 3162
mturley@deloitte.co.uk
Chris Sullivan
Local government, London and South East
+44 (0)20 7303 4646
chsullivan@deloitte.co.uk
Bill Cooper
Local government, South Wales and South West
+44 (0)20 7007 7907
billcooper@deloitte.co.uk
Mark Lawrie
Local government, Midlands and Wales
+44 (0)121 695 5981
mlawrie@deloitte.co.uk
David Harker
Local government, North West and North East
+44 (0)113 292 1934
dharker@deloitte.co.uk
Robert Wilson
Local government, Scotland
+44 (0)131 535 7437
robewilson@deloitte.co.uk
Paul Clarke
Northern Ireland
+44 (0)28 9053 1121
paclarke@deloitte.co.uk
Mike Maddison
Head of UK Security & Privacy
+44 (0)20 7303 0017
mmaddison@deloitte.co.uk
Member of
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In this publication, references to Deloitte are references to Deloitte MCS Limited, a subsidiary of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
Deloitte & Touche LLP is the United Kingdom member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTT), a Swiss Verein whose
member firms are separate and independent legal entities. Neither DTT nor any of its member firms has any liability for
each others acts or omissions. Services are provided by member firms or their subsidiaries and not by DTT. Deloitte &
Touche LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. For more information, please visit our
website at www.deloitte.co.uk
This publication has been written in general terms and therefore cannot be relied on to cover specific situations;
application of the principles set out will depend upon the particular circumstances involved and we recommend that
you obtain professional advice before acting or refraining from acting on any of the contents of this publication.
Deloitte MCS Limited would be pleased to advise readers on how to apply the principles set out in this publication to
their specific circumstances. Deloitte MCS Limited accepts no duty of care or liability for any loss occasioned to any
person acting or refraining from action as a result of any material in this publication.
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Registered in England No 3311052.
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