Questions & Answers Request for Proposal RFP# ELCMDM2014-003 for Enterprise Network Support and Hosting Services for Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties 1. Does this project include an email migration? We are a technology company that is Veteran owned and a small business in Naples. Answer: No. 2. Please define the term Bunker? This term is referenced in multiple locations. There are many references to a secure local Bunker site in both the Qualitative Evaluation Criteria and in section A. Program Management for Enterprise Network Support and Hosting Services - 1. Host Network at Local Bunker. Answer: Bunker is equivalent to a site such as the ColoHouse or Peak 10 facility. 3. This question is in three parts: a. Please define the term Secure Class 4? Answer: Tier/Class 4 refers to the type of data center. Tier 4 data center considered as most robust and less prone to failures. Tier 4 is designed to host mission critical servers and computer systems, with fully redundant subsystems (cooling, power, network links, storage etc) and compartmentalized security zones controlled by biometric access controls methods. Naturally, the simplest is a Tier 1 data center used by small business or shops. Tier 1 = Non-redundant capacity components (single uplink and servers). Tier 2 = Tier 1 + Redundant capacity components. Tier 3 = Tier 1 + Tier 2 + Dual-powered equipments and multiple uplinks. Tier 4 = Tier 1 + Tier 2 + Tier 3 + all components are fully fault-tolerant including uplinks, storage, chillers, HVAC systems, servers etc. Everything is dualpowered. 1
b. Does this refer to industry Tier definitions? http://www.greenserverroom.org/tier%20classifications%20define%20site%20infr astructure.pdf see this file for one industry definition from the Uptime Institute Answer: Yes. c. Is Tier 3 qualification sufficient for the primary data center? Answer: Maybe, it depends on the differences, we prefer Tier 4. 4. There are several area data centers servicing South Florida organizations. Is the location in Miami Dade County critical for the primary center or would a Broward County facility be acceptable? Reference: In the description of the Backup and Recovery (12 Months of Service) reference is made to a Telefonica Data USA facility in West Miami Dade County and a secondary facility in a Level-3 co-location computer room hosted by North Carolina Internet. Answer: Broward is OK if it meets the other requirements. 5. There are many data centers in the southern region of the USA and even within North Carolina that could serve as the secondary data center location. Is there a specific requirement to use the Level-3 facility hosted by North Carolina Internet? Reference: In the description of the Backup and Recovery (12 Months of Service) reference is made to a Telefonica Data USA facility in West Miami Dade County and a secondary facility in a Level-3 co-location computer room hosted by North Carolina Internet. Answer: We d prefer a Tier 4. 6. IPCop is for home or SOHO users, do we have to use this product in hosted production environment as well? Reference: Servers are safeguarded from Internet with IPcop v1.4.10 as an Intrusion Detection and Prevention using full packet Inspection Answer: Yes. 7. Who will be responsible for the physical move? Answer: If applicable the selected vender would be responsible for the moving along with the ELC MIS team. 2
8. Who will be responsible for providing liability insurance for the physical move? Reference: Ensure proper connection to the internet, SQL, and email services at new location after the physical move is complete Answer: The equipment is insured against damage, however the selected vendor would be responsible for any concerns that may arise from a move. 9. Is backup to tape media a requirement or would an alternate approach such as cloudbased disk backups be acceptable? Answer: We utilize a NAS solution as well a cloud. 10. What is the rotation policy for the tapes? Answer: N/A 11. Please clarify that the 7-year retention only applies to the monthly backups? Answer: We require 7 year s worth of backup. 12. What backup tools currently in use? Answer: We utilize a NAS solution as well a cloud. 13. Connectivity using site-to-site and dial-in VPN between hosted environment and Early learning office and staff? Reference: System state and full system backups are archived to tape daily, weekly, and monthly and retained for up to 7 years Answer: We have VPN s between our sites today using Vyatta solutions. 14. How much data is changed daily and needs to be replicated? Reference: File rsync software replication runs daily to synchronize the file systems; and Answer: We estimate roughly 250 megs daily during our peak seasons. As we continue to study our data patterns this may decrease. 15. Will DNS change be a manual process or does it need to be automated? Reference: In case of primary site failure, a DNS change will redirect your URL to secondary server Answer: It can be automated. 3
16. Is SCOM 20xx already deployed and configured? Reference: Logs are reviewed daily using Microsoft Operations Manager 20XX Answer: Yes. 17. What is currently being used to deploy patches? Reference: Microsoft Patches are applied monthly (the second Saturday of the month). Additional Emergency patches are applied as vulnerabilities are published. Answer: We allow the auto updates to run on each laptop it is not centralized currently. 18. Can an alternate mail archive and e-discovery solution be proposed instead of GFI Mail Archiver if it provides at least the same required functionality? Reference: Provide GFI Mail Archiver. The GFI Mail Archiver specifications Answer: Yes, an alternate can be deployed, however access to the already captured GFI mail must be provided. 19. What support is required to safeguard the Coalition s MIS team in customer lawsuits? Reference: safeguard the Coalition s MIS team in customer lawsuits Answer: If a lawsuit ensues, ELC MIS will rely on the selected vendor to make screen captures, evidence, and other necessary proof of compliance available within the legally described timeframe. 20. What software licenses must be provided to enable the web hosting? Answer: Whatever the vendor deems necessary. 21. What technologies are used for the web hosting? Answer: Joomla is used for the VPK Help.org and the other is >NET/IIS/updated through Dreamweaver. 22. Are all of these currently deployed on a single virtual machine? Answer: VM is provided using Xen Servers today. 23. Are the websites currently configured for fault-tolerance and high-availability to meet the 99.99% up-time SLA? Reference: Provide Website Hosting Services for both www.elcmdm.org and www.vpkhelp.org to include a robust database driven backend with an elaborate GUI for end users. 4
Answer: Yes. 24. Alternate solutions for spam and virus protection are available. Is continued use of Postini a requirement? Answer: No, other solutions can be entertained. 25. Is the vendor expected pay for the 250 user license to Google Apps (Postini) or will the Coalition pay for these licenses? Reference: Provide Postini/Goggle Services to 250 Coalition users monthly (to ensure mal-ware protection, and virus free internet access). Answer: Coalition. 26. These services would be provided at the Coalition offices in Coral Gables FL. Are there any other locations where services are needed? Answer: We have a total of 7 sites and 2 satelite locations, services are for the entire network. 27. How many wireless access points or routers are currently in use? Please provide specifications for current equipment and any required upgrades. Reference: Update and support wireless access points with new routers Reference: Support on Comcast and Adtran Router Answer: We currently have 18 Netgear N600 routers, we d like a more robust Cisco based solutions: i.e. aironets or equivalent. 28. How often would new phone or network drops be required? What is the expected service response time for a request for a new phone or network drop? Are there any labor qualification requirements for the service personnel that would perform phone and network installation? (e.g. must be overseen by a licensed electrician etc.) Does this include configuration of the PBX? If so, what PBX system is in use? Is the PBX in scope for support in this contract? Reference: Installation of phone and network drops on an as-needed basis Answer: Network drops would be expected as an on need basis. 29. What servers are in place and what upgrades have been agreed upon? Please specify more detail. Reference: Upgrade to local back-up server Reference: Upgrade servers as per agreed upon hardware options 5
Answer: Currently the servers are up to date. If during the period of the contract, any server upgrades are needed, the vendor would be responsible to handle such upgrades working with the specifications provided by ELC MIS. 30. What is the agreed upon configuration of virtual machines? What hypervisor and version is used? Reference: Setup and maintain virtualization per agreed upon configuration Answer: We defer to the expertise of the vendor to suggest a suitable VM configuration. 31. What services are required relative to SharePoint administration? What version of SharePoint is installed? Please define the physical farm specifications for SharePoint? Is there a Development or Staging installation of SharePoint or only Production? Reference: Sharepoint server Answer: We currently have a legacy version of SharePoint. We d like to explore the latest version of Sharepoint under the terms of the agreed upon contract. Software licenses would be purchased by the coalition, however, the initial administration and setup would be handled by the vendor. 32. What functions need to be analyzed? Answer: A review of the network traffic, security etc. will need to be reviewed. 33. What tool is being used for network traffic and bandwidth management? Reference: Network Support Services. Analyzing functions. Network traffic management Answer: We utilize some basic Microsoft tools today. 34. Please provide a comprehensive list of locations where service will be required. Reference: Network services for Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, and in all of the Coalition s location(s). Answer: We have an additional file center location in Doral for the other sites look at: http://www.elcmdm.org/contact_us/index.htm. 35. Please provide an electronic version of the ELC Budget Template requested in Attachment 4. Answer: Please visit www.elcmdm.org, click vendors tab, and then ELC budget. 36. Will an additional domain controller with Global Catalogue be deployed at new hosted environments? Reference: ATTACHMENT 4 BUDGET 6
Answer: If the vendor deems it is necessary, a catalogue server will be deployed. 37. What amount of data will be hosted on the two websites? Answer: The current estimated data stored on the website is currently just over 2.8 gigs. 38. Are you planning to upgrade, enhance or increase features in your current website? Answer: The Coalition may decide to enhance the website in the future. 39. Can you please tell us about any current hosting vendor that you are currently relaying upon? Answer: We are currently hosted by Bluejean Software Inc. 40. Can you tell something about the traffic density on the mentioned websites? Reference: Provide Website Hosting Services for both www.elcmdm.org and www.vpkhelp.org to include a robust database driven backend with an elaborate GUI for end users. Answer: We see just over 1200 visitors on our site a month. This changes once the VPK enrollment period opens, this will increase. 7