Network Optimisation EoL Hardware and Software

This paper seeks funding to (a) complete Network Hardware and Software upgrades to ensure continued support from network equipment vendors until 31 March 2024, (b) Decommission and remove ‘Tipping Point’: the legacy superseded network intrusion detection system and (c) Decommission and remove unneeded analogue circuit signalling units from Technical Equipment Rooms.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to approve £2,598k (being £960k in 2020/21 and £1,638k in 2021/22) of Capital to fund completion of ‘Optimisation of End of Life Network Hardware and Software’ project from the MOPAC Approved Digital Policing Capital Budget.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. MOPAC has recently invested in the Network Tower Agreement (NTA). The NTA defines service obligations, key performance indicators and provides a comprehensive commercial and service environment. This project addresses LAN and WAN equipment that will reach end of life at the point the NTA contract expires, and resolves remaining legacy issues with Tipping Point and Analogue Signalling Units, by removing the remaining legacy hardware and software. The project comprises three parts. In all three cases the architecture has been approved previously by MPS Enterprise Architects.

1.2. Part 1 Hardware and Software upgrades: NTA is a five-year agreement from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2022. With a small number of exceptions, all key network equipment is fully supported until the end of NTA. A new agreement will supersede NTA on 1 April 2022.

1.3. As MPS need to avoid any gap in support from network vendors, this project aims to ensure that all network equipment has a minimum of 24 months vendor support following the end of NTA (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2024).

1.4. This requires upgrades to 2,304 items (hardware or firmware).

1.5. Part 2 Decommission and remove Tipping Point: Tipping Point is a legacy intrusion detection system (IDS) deployed at an MPS Data centre. This project will remove Tipping Point hardware from that Data Centre. The replacement intrusion detection system has been addressed by a separate project.

1.6. Part 3 Decommission and remove of Analogue Signalling Units: Following the decommissioning of approximately 380 analogue circuits, this project will remove redundant analogue circuit signalling units from Technical Equipment Rooms (TERs). Analogue circuit signalling units are typically bulky items, usually comprising a chassis populated with up to 30 line cards, with a power supply. Line cards support a mixture of legacy analogue, and low speed data circuits. The chassis is removed only when all the circuits associated with each line card have been ceased.

1.7. Removing redundant equipment from TERs reduces power consumption and clears space for future requirements.

1.8. The expected life of the replacement solution is to 31 March 2024.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. Early phases of this project will be completed by BT off-site, so COVID-19 is not expected to impact this project.

2.2. An IT Health check will be required for items that do not yet hold Authority to Operate (AtO) approval.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The project aims to deliver completion of the ‘Optimisation of EoL Network Hardware and Software Network’ project at capital expenditure cost of £2,598k, which will be met from the DP Capital budget (£960k in 2020/21 and £1,638k in 2021/22).

3.2. There are additional revenue costs of £30k pa that will be funded from Digital Policing Revenue budgets with effect from 2021/22.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) is a contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the Regulations). All awards of public contracts for goods and/or services in excess of £189,330 shall be procured in accordance with the Regulations.

4.2. Paragraph 4.8 of the Scheme provides the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) reserves the right to approve business cases for revenue or capital expenditure of £500,000 and above.

4.3. The proposed works orders with BT and Keysource are to be procured through the MOPAC’s Networks and Data Centre Managed Services ‘Tower’ contracts respectively. The technical and financial scope of the proposed orders are within the respective ‘Tower’ contracts.

4.4. Paragraph 7.23 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Director of Strategic Procurement has delegated authority to approve the award of all contracts, with the exception of those called in through the agreed call in procedure. Paragraph 4.14 of the Scheme provides the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime reserves the right to call in any MPS proposal to award a contract for £500,000 or above.

5. Commercial Issues

5.1. The services required to complete Optimisation of Network Hardware and Software to extend vendor support to 31 March 2024 will be procured via the Network Tower supplier under the existing framework between them and the MPS.

5.2. Commercial Principles

• The completion of Network Tower Hardware and Software upgrades will be ordered under the Network Tower Agreement (NTA) with BT.

• Keysource will provide change control and access support for Technical Equipment Rooms (TERs) under the Data Centre Managed Services Tower Agreement (DCMSTA).

• MPS confirm that the proposed works order to BT and Keysource is within the technical and financial scope of NTA and DCMSTA respectively. The initial proposals for Network Transformation were reviewed by the Core Infrastructure team and Architecture Team who are recommending that this paper progresses.

• The NTA and DCMSTA terms & conditions includes all the key contractual clauses and payment mechanisms and allows for projects/changes to the contract through a prescribed change process.

• The MOPAC has approved a total contract value of £200m for the Network Tower (PCD 151 dated 02/03/17. This paper does not have an impact on the total contract value.

• There is no impact on the workforce as this request is about an existing service i.e. there are no TUPE implications or staff changes.

6. GDPR and Data Privacy

6.1. The MPS is subject to the requirements and conditions placed on it as a 'State' body to comply with the European Convention of Human Rights and the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018. Both legislative requirements place an obligation on the MPS to process personal data fairly and lawfully in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of individuals.

6.2. Under Article 35 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Section 57 of the DPA 2018, Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA) become mandatory for organisations with technologies and processes that are likely to result in a high risk to the rights of the data subjects.

6.3. The Information Assurance and Information Rights units within MPS will be consulted at all stages to ensure the project meets its compliance requirements.

6.4. The project does not use personally identifiable data of members of the public, so there are no GDPR issues to be considered.

7. Equality Comments

7.1. This project will not impact Equality and Diversity. All work will be let through two existing MOPAC contracts: the Network Tower Agreement and the Data Centre Managed Services Tower Agreement. These two existing MOPAC contracts are fully compliant with legal requirements, including Equality Law, and MPS legal advisors confirmed this during contract review prior to contract award.

8. Background/supporting papers

8.1. Report.