In the largest deal of its type in South Africa, JSE-listed Datacentrix supplied and installed 82 Compaq 6000 servers at 64 sites countrywide for the South African Revenue Services (SARS) in a deal worth R12m.
Manager: SARS Network Services, Roy Sylvester explains that the SARS has recently upgraded and expanded it`s network from a terminal based legacy system to an IP Network.
"As part of the overall strategy for distributed processing in a client/server environment, it was imperative that every SARS office be equipped with the right infrastructure for both current and future needs. The reliability of a branded product such as Compaq, together with the need to prepare for the rollout of our New Income Tax System dictated the acquirement and installation of equipment of this magnitude."
Within the first three months of installing the new network, called SARSNET, Sylvester says the collection of taxes had notably improved and computer response times dropped significantly. The new system is vastly different in that it is Y2K compliant, I interactive with other systems, provides greater flexibility and offers improved security.
According to Sylvester, this means that SARS can now maximise the use of technology to collect taxes more efficiently.
He says, simultaneously, internal SARS needs were met, such as:
Interoffice communication
Distributed in-house financial systems
Call Management system
General office administration.
Sylvester notes that the new tax system will enable SARS to broaden the tax base while simultaneously streamlining previously independent processes. "These include the processing of tax returns, interlinking various tax systems and interfacing with external entities.
"It will also go a long way towards curbing tax evasion. The benefit to SARS employees is a user friendly system while the public can expect more efficient services from SARS."
Sylvester says SARS long term relationship with Datacentrix, combined with a term contract that Datacentrix won, positioned the computer company strategically to implement a solution critical to SARS` business requirements.
"Effectively, Datacentrix offered a single point of contact through which we could address all our server needs. These needs range from acquisition, implementation, setup, and commissioning, right through to backup and support requirements.
"Datacentrix also offers the flexibility to meet the demands of our changing environment at short notice. The selective manner in which Datacentrix aligned itself with dedicated business partners ensured that all our demands were met in record time."
Sylvester adds that he is very satisfied that the services offered by Datacentrix under very stringent conditions met the SARS requirements. "Being an on-line system, downtime could not be afforded and this meant that all installations were to be
conducted after hours. Datacentrix, together with their aligned contractor, Zervos, proved that the demands placed on them could be met. We are satisfied that future expansion can comfortably fit in with our tight project plans and changing environment."
Sylvester says SARS intends to, in the most cost effective but efficient way, broaden the tax base so that the burden is lifted from currently registered tax payers. "From an IT perspective, we intend utilising and expanding the currently installed infrastructure to cater for a host of internal applications which can ultimately benefit the taxpayer as a whole."
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