SITA, the State Information Technology Agency, has announced that a consortium led by one of SA leading IT solutions providers, arivia.kom has been awarded the SITA contract to implement the virtual private network (VPN)-enabled Government Core Network, with technology supplied by Nortel Networks. The initial value of the contract is estimated at R100 million.
The solution involves a VPN working off a common core network, which will link 13 existing disparate networks in use by different departments. It will also provide a multi-service platform for handling multimedia communications for the foreseeable future.
As the project leader, arivia.kom is responsible for the supply and implementation of the network. The consortium partners are Nortel Networks (suppliers of hardware infrastructure), IMS (training) and Comztek (logistics and supply).
Says CEO of arivia.kom, Zeth Malele: "Transformation and improvement of service delivery in the public sector is considered a necessity for beneficial social change.
"SITA has been mandated by government to consolidate the disparate IT infrastructures in order to support the e-government initiative with greater efficiency and productivity. We are pleased to be SITA`s partner in this initiative and are confident that the solution will meet their exact requirements."
Rick Rogers, country manager of Nortel Networks South Africa, says: "Our solution is a good example of how technology can provide a sophisticated network along with offering the customer business benefits of improved efficiency and reduced operational costs."
The project is due to commence at the end of November 2002.
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arivia.kom is a leading South African IT company operating throughout Africa, with the proven ability to implement customised, integrated IT solutions and provide services at whichever global location our clients may specify. Our end-to-end services and solutions generate significant business advantages for our clients. Through operating in a transparent, straightforward manner, providing a single point of responsibility for account management, and being able to access a national footprint and large expertise base, we simplify the complexity and reduce the risk of IT for our clients. We have a thorough understanding of the market sectors in which we focus and an impressive track record as proof of our capabilities. www.arivia.co.za
Nortel Networks
Nortel Networks is an industry leader and innovator focused on transforming how the world communicates and exchanges information. The company is supplying its service provider and enterprise customers with communications technology and infrastructure to enable value-added IP data, voice and multimedia services spanning metro and enterprise networks, wireless networks and optical long-haul networks. As a global company, Nortel Networks does business in more than 150 countries. More information about Nortel Networks can be found on the Web at www.nortelnetworks.com.