Reinvigorating PSUC

There’s been a lot in the computer press, this week, about Google’s announcement that it will launch its “Chrome Operating System”. E.g. “Google OS a worry for Linux”. Whilst there’s an interesting debate around who’s threatened more – Microsoft or other Open Source product vendors – I think the real interest is in “Chrome may eventually become a dominant Linux distribution but it will take time for Google to iron out the kinks”, and “creating a cool software product is a good thing, but enabling it on a hardware platform is another thing”. It seems to me that a shared challenge for both Microsoft and Google is creating reliable and effective products for generic hardware from a multitude of suppliers - unlike Apple, whose Mac hardware and software are made for one another.


London’s shared DR procurement process has been completed with the disappointing result that no tender met the quality threshold. However, the boroughs involved are still keen to work together to find a means of achieving the requirements. They decided to separate data backup from application server provision within the original specification. In the short term they will look at using a more dedicated Buying Solutions Framework to procure data backup individually, and in the longer term at designing a possible shared application server solution. There were valuable lessons learned, and these will be compiled and sent to Buying Solutions. All existing documentation, including the shared DR specification is available on the LPSN GovX space.

Oops – I misremembered the new PSMP branding. It’s “MyLoMo” (not “MyLoBo”). This is the logo…

On Friday I hosted a meeting at Newham Dockside to “Reinvigorate Cross Government Unified Communications Strategy” as part of the Public Sector Network. The HMRC’s Jim Boyle organised the meeting, and we were joined by representatives from the CESG and NHS, with input from Andy Williamson related to unified communications network procurement in Wales. We reviewed and updated a vision paper circulated by Jim in advance of the meeting, which I’m to present at the next Public Sector Infrastructure Team Executive Group on 29th July. I’m attending as Martin Ferguson will be on holiday, so this will be part of my “Swan Song”.

We agreed we should focus on the long-term UC requirements, covering all infrastructure – fixed and wireless - flagging practical considerations, many of which related to the need to accommodate multiple devices and presence states, but not allow these to compromise the vision. Mobile operators haven’t yet been represented in the consultative groups, which we resolved to address.