CR 88-98 Upgrade Finance Computer
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May 9, 1988
Council Rpt: 88-98
UPGRADE FINANCE COMPUTER
P.rovosed ActionL
Staff recommends adoption of the following motion: Move to purcha.se nISI'" computer
~rocessing haldware and oper.atins system which will up~:rade the Finance Deyartment's
mini computer for a net cost of $35.435.
Overvi.ew.
Computoservice, Inc. (CSI) will not support our DX10 operating system after 1990 on
the present annual maintenance agreement. Support woula be on a cost prohibitive
time and materials basis. CSI is switching all of their software to run with new
state of the art Unix (Xenix) operating systems. The new system will provide
greater capacity and speed which has become a problem in our present system.
An upgrade to our system is in the Equipment Replacement plan for 1992 at $73.000.
Developments in the industry and the direction of CSI make it feasible to accelera~e
an upgrade now.
Purchase and upgrade incentives being offered by CSI are of a magnitude that makes
it advantageous to proceed with a purchase at this time.
Primary Issues to Consider.
o The need f~r additional capacity and speed are now present.
o The industry change practically dictates the City tc upgrade before the end of
1990,
o A special incentive of $4.595 is offered if Hopkins is tde first metro area
city to purchase the new system.
o Upg~ade and purchase incentives before the 1989 deadline will save the city an
additional $8,280.
o A 924 terminal that is an inseparable part of the hardware package will be
needed by the Police Department for their ENFORS system and will not be
needed by Finance, thus saving $795 the Police Department planned to expend.
Supporting Information.
o Staff background.
o Background.
o Alternatives.
o CSI proposal.
o CSI Statement of Direction.
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9-flWt; <J C!-~i1
Johm/E. Schedler.' Finance Director
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Rapt 88-98
page 2
BACKGROUND
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The present Texas Instrument 661 Computer was delivered to
the Finance Department in February, 1984. Payroll and
utility billing applications were in operation by July,
1984, with the accounting package in operation by December,
1984. By mid 1985, the accounts payable (Council checks)
aystem was operational. Beginning in 1987, delayed response
times were being experienced when multiple applications are
processed. In January, 1988, Hopkins became the test site
for the new payroll system currently being tested.
When we attempted to close the books for 1987, our computer
came to a halt as its capacity had been exceeded. It took
the better part of three days working with the technicians
in Mankato to down load several applications, r~n the close,
and then restore the down loaded applications. This is not
an efficient procedure. There is a definite need to
increase our capacity and speed to avoid a reoccurrence of
the 1987 close disaster and to maintain timely normal
operations. The new system would increase speed and
capacity four fold.
Alonq with the upgrade there would also be some new features
that had been planned for 1988. Two PC's (one already in
the department and the other PC is in the 1988 Finance
budget) would interface with the mini computer providinq an
additional input station so that all Finance personnel would
have an input device at their work station. The second PC
is included in the upgrade price. Additionally, this inter-
face will allow down loading information directly from the
mini to the PC in order to produce reports with the LOTUS
software. A small printer would also provide quality
reports not efficiently done on the large printer, which is
being retained from the old system.
A second new feature would provide an interface with
electronic devices to enter meter readings into the mini
computer directly. This would eliminate he-ura of manual
leeying.
The quoted price includes all costs to qet a new computer
installed, convert existing data to the new system, and
provide system orientation.
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Rapt 88-98
page 3
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AlJTERNATIVES
Considering the timing, needs and cost, the City Council has
the following to consider:
1. Expend $35,435 now for which funding is identified in
the 1988 budget ($5,000 Finance) and the 1992 Equipment
Replacement Fund ($73,000).
2. Expend $39,795 during 1989 to upgrade..
3. wait until the last possible minute in 1990 when no
incentives are available and the cost would be $48,075
to upgrade.
4. Retain present system and maintain on time ($40 to $165
per hour) and material (parts?) basis and replaco in
1992 with Equipment Replacement fUl1ds now showing an
allocation of $73,000. This would be the costliest
approach to provide data processing.
To upgrade at this time, utilizing some very servicable
parts of the old system, should provide a system capable ot
fulfilling- the City's needs for an additional six years.
Industry standards reference a 5-8 year useful life of
hardware and software.
Projecting past, present and future costs (original pur-
chase, hardware and software maintenance and 'the upqrade)
over a ten year period through 1994, the City's annual
Finance computer costs would average $17,900 per year.
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April 15, 1988
Kr. John E. Schedler
Finance Director
City of Hopkins
1010 First Street South
HOFklns, HH 55343
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Greater speed...up to lour ti.es laster than your current TI 661.
Cost-effective growth using the a..e software and utllizlns
cODpatible equipaent up to and over 200 users.
Multi-level password security to prevent unauthorized ace... and
aalntain data integrity.
Disk optimization to aaxi.ize storage effiCiency and access data
faater.
near John ~
Thank you for your interest in upgrading your current Coaputoservice
financial syate. to Coaputoservice'. new XENZX-based tinancial system.
Based on our discua~ion of your needs. I have asseabled the enclo.ed
proposal providing XEHIX-based solutions with a target iaplementation date
of July, 1988.
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Vith a XENZI-b.sed operating syet.., the City of HOFkins will be using the
fastest arowina operating systea in the industryo the operatinr syete. that
ha. been accepted .s the standard operating syat.a for buslne..
applications by the United Stat.. Gove~naent. Th. benefit. XENIX provides
the City of Ropkins include:
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Ve beliove the IENIX solution proposed provides a long-term solution to the
City of Hopkins' data processing needs and greater opportunity to take
advantage of new 80ftwars applications appearing on the aarket, 4S well as
enhance the productivity and perforMance of your depart_ant.
Sincerely,
7i:J7PJ
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Michael T. Todd
Sales Representative
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Enclos/Jre
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crTY OF HOPKINS
XENIX UPGRADE PROPOSAL
HAT 3. 1988
Hardware:
TI 1115 A CPU
AST Premium 266
Texas Ins~rumentG 877 Printer
Cables, peripheral equipment, etc.
as detailed per Schedule A.
'i:z..q. -t"E~IfI/,,, A L
.s CoLt.. R<.'i..A CE P 'i' 'J I -rEIl. no .P~~
XEHIX Operatfn& Syatea
Licensln: Fee for Ex18ting Applic&tlons:
Accounts Payable
fund and Budget Accountin&
FDA - Suamary Option
Peyroll
Utili ty B11UI1&
$28,261
<7-r~> T" ;>o/,c..e
< :11/1)
1,<600
2,000
4,000
400
2,000
5,000
800
2, 200
3.050
$-49,111
(7,380)
(9DO)
$40,831
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to .(4 !;tjr)
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$ 35,435
In addition, Rhould Hopkins be the first \laG, in the ..tropolit6n area
-.ke a decision to upcrade to a XENIX .yet.., CSI will authorize an
~\~ additional $4,595 a. a preliMinary conver.ion site incentive. This
effectively reduces the pr!ce of the proposed uPtrade to $36,236.
Software:
Licensinc Fee for Hew Applications:
Hiai-fticro Interface
U8-Generic Interface
Gther:
Installation. Training, SyG&en and
One-Day SYRt~ Orlentatlan
Total Hardware .and Soft"'.r.
Up:r_de Allowance Exiatlnt Applications
Purchase Incentive New Application
TOTAL
ADD: 1.44 ME Floppy Disk Drive
IOTE: Upgr.de ^lloNan~e on Existing Applic.tlon8 Valid until 12/31/89.
Purchase Incentive on Hew Applications Valid until 12/31/88.
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CITY Of HOPKINS
XENIX UPGRADE PROPOSAL
SCHEDULE A: HARDWARE CONFIGURATION
April 15. 1988
Hardware:
CPU: Texas Instruments 111SA with
.. .64 liB Memory
(1) 120 ftB Disk Drive
60 HB Cartridge Tape B~ck-Up
(1) 1.2 KB Floppy Disk Drive
(I) Eight-Port Multiplexer
(1) Texas Instruaents 924 Honochro.e ftonitor,
Graphics Card, snd 101 Style ~.yboard
(1) 2400 BPS Async Internal Hod.. with Telephone
lIorbtaUon: AST Pr..tUll 286 PC. Kodel 140 with 1 IfB HUlor,
(1) 40 HB Disk Drive
(1) 1.2 ftB Floppy Disk Drive
(1) nOftocaro.. Honitor with 3G Plus Graphics Card
101 Style .ceyboard
ADD: 1.44 MB Floppy Disk Drive (Needed to change input/output
format so that the Mini computer and the PC network
can communicate.
Frinter: Texas Instrument. 877 ~ide Carriage Heavy Duty
Dot Hatrix Printer
Other:
Conversion of Existing LP600 Line ?rinter to Parallel
E.ulatlon Upgrades for (2) ISH Compatible Personal
Co.puters
Interface Cables to Hade... TerMfnals and Micro Computer
Workstations
Delivery, freight Insurance, Assembly and Inetal1.tion
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