Wherever there is a conflict, the Addenda to the RFP document and the RFP document (in that order) override the explanations that are provided here.

Transcription

1 Procurement of Services to Design, Develop, Implement and Maintain Centralized e-governance Application for Urban Local Bodies in Tamil Nadu Explanatory Notes 2 / Dated 17-December Explanatory Notes The notes below are for explanation purposes issued based on the queries received from prospective bidders. While these do not constitute a change to the Bid documents, these are provided to be used as guidelines for more clarification on the queries raised. Wherever there is a conflict, the Addenda to the RFP document and the RFP document (in that order) override the explanations that are provided here. Page 1 of 6

2 Routers with WAN Optimizer Request for modification as Routers VPN Concentrator specifications are mentioned G. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR COMPLIANCE G. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR COMPLIANCE - HIPS HIPS Licenses - 16 Nos. HIPS Licenses - 32 Nos. As per RFP scope branch wan opt solution has to be dedicated appliance based solution. It is requested to modify the clause. The RFP is seeking SSL VPN along with specification but the same is not mentioned in the BOM followed by the price bid and the quantity The RFP calls for Database servers with encryption Hardware whereas BoM is mentioned as Database Servers only. Request you to change the Bill of material description as Database Server with Encryption Hardware for clarity HIPS should perform log analysis, integrity checking Log Analysis and Integrity Checking is a functionality of SIEM and not a functionality HIPS. RFP calls for an HIPS solution as an extension of existing TNSDC whereas McAfee HIPS available in TN SDC does not support these functionalities. Hence request to delete this clause. The minimum BoM calls for 32 Servers and HIPS security to be incorporated with every server, hence minimum 32 HIPS license to be supplied together for DC and DR Anti-Virus Software Anti-Virus Software specification has been given in the RFP but missing in the Bill of Materials. Hence request to add Anti-Virus software licenses of 32 No s for the servers at DC and DR in the BoM Please refer to clarifications issued to the bidders Serial 298, where it has been clarified that the solution can be based on hardware, software or module. Bidder is free to provide a dedicated appliance based solution Please refer the Addenda No 1 document issued where the price bid contains the VPN Concentrator Price Bid refers to the specifications & items description/names mentioned in the price bid are for bidder convenience only. The quoted price shall however meet the product which completely meets the specification The log analysis & integrity checking needs to be done by solution proposed by the bidder i.e. either through the HIPS/EMS/etc. The quantity in the Price Bid of Addendum may be read as "As required" The required anti-virus licenses which comply with technical specification mentioned in Page of the RFP may be sized by SI and quoted in provision given in the table reading as "S.No. 2.3 Other Page 2 of 6

3 7. RFP Pg. 375 & Corr. Page 22. Routers with WAN Optimizer Routing and WAN Optimization are different functionalities and Products. Having both functionalities in the routing appliance will compromise the operation of each functionality; hence they require being on independent appliances. Most OEM Routers do not have WAN Optimizer on Routers, The only OEM who has does this is Cisco. In order to achieve 100% throughput on each functionality and also to have transparency in Bidding process against one vendor solution, we request to treat WAN Optimizer and Router as two different components Routers with WAN Optimizer WAN Optimizer Solution at HUB Location -1 No. WAN Optimizer Solution for remote location - 1 No. WAN Optimization and routing are separate solutions and these are to be implemented in a network where DC, DR and edge locations are available. Hence it recommended to have separate line item to be provided for DC and Edge locations so that Department can use these solution as required Routers with WAN Optimizer Solution should be from Vendors with presence in the Gartner Magic quadrant for Wan-op solution Routers with WAN Optimizer Each user can be dynamically assigned an amount of bandwidth (using a dynamic partition). Attached the last 3 years Gartner report on WAN Optimization. As per the clause mentioned in the RFP, only Riverbed as an OEM only will qualify. Hence requested to relax the clause so that all the leading OEMs can participate To be deleted associated costs (if any may be captured & respective price may be quoted here)." If the proposed solution doesn't have a Router integrated WAN ops solution then bidders may quote prices for the router, hub & remote locations as separate entities. Bidders are encouraged to prepare separate and detailed line items in their proposals refer above given clarifications refer above given clarifications This is a vendor specific clause and specific to Riverbed. Hence request you to delete the clause Hierarchical control and policies allow all This is a vendor specific clause and specific to refer above given clarifications Page 3 of 6

4 control capabilities to be nested within each other. For example, a customer could allocate a subnet 1 Mbps, an application 500 Kbps, and each user of that application at least 50 Kbps Access/Application Switch 128 Gbps and higher Access/Application Switch Port Density : Up to 300 ports or higher in a stack Routers with WAN Optimizer Should support MPLS, MPLS- TE, MPLS- FRR, VPLS and L2 & L3 MPLS VPN from day 1 of commissioning Layer 7 Inspected Throughput of 1 Gigabit scalable to 3 Gigabit Riverbed. Hence request you to delete the clause. 140 Gbps and higher RFP calls for 48 port 1 G and 2 No s of 2 nos. 10 G which in turn require minimum 136 Gbps of switching capacity to work switch in a nonblocking architecture. Hence requested to increase the switching capacity to 140 Gbps. Port Density: Up to 192 ports or higher in a stack Any Switch with true stacking will support only 192 ports. Anything more is not supported in true stacking. It will be called as cascading which can be done for any switches. If the dept. is looking for true stacking, it needs to be relaxed to 192 ports. Should support MPLS, MPLS- TE, MPLS-FRR and L2 & L3 MPLS VPN from day 1 of commissioning VPLS protocol will be supported in Service Provider Class high end routers only and does not require in Edge Routers. This is a vendor specific clause and increase the cost of the product which will not have any benefit for the department. Hence requested to remove Layer 7 Inspected Throughput of 1 Gigabit scalable to 2 Gigabit 100% Scalability is the maximum industry standard. Asking 3 Gigabit will cause overpricing which will not have any benefit to the department. Please review the explanation in Explanatory notes, item No. 274 Bidder may achieve the same through a single IP management as well. Bidders may provide appropriate solution that manages this requirement. There is no change in this clause. There is no change in this clause. Page 4 of 6

5 Minimum 4 Numbers of Gigabit segments scalable to 7 numbers of Gigabit segments Minimum 4 Numbers of Gigabit segments scalable to 6 numbers of Gigabit segments There is no change in this clause External Firewall / Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) 4 ports itself will not be utilized as it is a Gateway device. Hence request you to reduce the salacity to 6 no s which will give considerable price reduction To be deleted Firewall and IPS integrated in a single box is against security policies of organization and is against the Industry practice and standard. All major projects specially EGovernance MMP projects insists that Firewall and IPS should be from two different OEM so that they have different algorithms to avoid security threats, avert single point of failure and thereby avoid compromising security. Hence we request you delete this VPN Concentrator To be added in the BoM VPN Concentrator - 1 for DC and 1 for DR RFP gives the specification of VPN Concentrator and also talks about the usage and requirement of it in the corrigendum and response to queries. However, VPN Concentrator is not mentioned in the Bill of Materials. Hence requested to add it in the BoM 19. Hardware Security Module To be Added in the BoM and technical specifications Considering the sensitivity of the data involved and as security of the data is of paramount importance, Data Integrity of the data flowing from the application servers is utmost important for secured architecture. Data integrity is being achieved using Digital Signing.Security of the digital signatures (keys) is very important and for these CCA guidelines mandates the The Firewall & IPS to be integrated without any performance degradation however both need not be a single a device Please refer addendum released earlier, <revised price bid template> Bidders are encouraged to provide additional and better products that meet and exceed the requirements of the RFP. Page 5 of 6

6 use of FIPS certified hardware s. FIPS certified hardware modules should be used at the server level for securing the digital signing keys and also perform the signing's using its crypto processor i.e. offloading the signing process from the application server. Will make the infrastructure compliant to IT ACT and CCA guidelines. These hardware will provide security of the keys and increase the performance by accelerating the signing speed via there crypto processors. 20. To be Added in the BoM and technical specifications VTL specifications are missing in RFP though it is asked in the RFP 21. To be Added in the BoM and technical specifications SAN Switch specification is missing in the RFP 22. To be Added in the BoM and technical specifications When servers are overwhelmed with high-volume traffic, processing capabilities decelerate and data retrieval becomes slow or, in some cases, impossible. The process of evenly distributing multiple user requests across a number of servers supporting a network. Utilized effectively, this traffic optimization method can increase productivity and performance of a network by allowing users in a variety of locations access to critical information and applications without slow response times or failed connections. Hence recommended to have Server Load Balancer solution incorporated in the RFP. VTL not required since Tape Library of existing TNSDC infrastructure is planned to be leveraged SAN Switch not required since SAN Switch of existing TNSDC infrastructure is planned to be leveraged; SLB not required since new SLB may not accommodated in the existing TNSDC architecture & the existing SLB in TNSDC is planned to be leveraged; Page 6 of 6