CMS has completed the first phase of an R8 million project to upgrade the South African Revenue Services` (SARS) IT back-up systems and to assist with the implementation of its new disaster recovery initiative.
SARS has undertaken a major upgrade of all its systems including networks, software and hardware. Piet Pienaar, GM of the IT division in Pretoria, says the virtual re-engineering project has resulted in a far greater level of automation of the institution`s administration and procedures, including a big increase in storage requirements.
A major problem facing SARS was that back-up runs were taking 11 hours a day, periodically encroaching on daytime processing.
CMS provided TimberLine and RedWood tape drives and controllers from StorageTek valued at R4,5 million.
"TimberLine is considered the fastest tape drive in the world," says CMS account executive Derek House, "and RedWood tape drives and controllers hold 150GB per cartridge."
"We have reduced our batch window by 80% and cut downtime by nearly 100%," says Pienaar.
Pienaar says improved computer room efficiency results in improved productivity at the offices, which in turn gives SARS staff more time to identify and follow up tax evaders.
The next phase in the project includes setting up an off-site disaster recovery site.
"The SARS computer production facility is already on par with the best in the country but we intend to raise it to the level of the very best worldwide," adds Pienaar. CMS is a wholly owned subsidiary of JSE-listed MGX Holdings.
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