The Athens County 911 Center will be moving its computer servers to a cloud system after the Athens County Commissioners approved a new contract Tuesday.
Director Dan Pfeiffer said that all computer data — including data that tracks calls and tells emergency workers where to respond — will move into the cloud system provided by EmergiTech, a Columbus-based company.
With the cloud system, the servers will be available to dispatchers and emergency responders online, rather than in a set location at the dispatch center.
Pfeiffer said moving to a digital cloud system would cut down on money spent on maintenance and hardware.
“Currently, when one server is down, the whole system goes down,” Pfeiffer said, adding that implementing the cloud system will lower the amount of money spent on repairs.
Commissioner Lenny Eliason said a benefit of using the new system is that they only have to update one set of software, which will save time.
The start date for the contract is Dec. 1, and will cost the county $17,841 in training and installation fees, according to the contract.
Beginning in Dec. 1, 2014, the county will pay $55,565 in subscription fees each year through 2017.
Commissioners Chris Chmiel said he thinks that moving to a cloud system will advance the county digitally and hopes that the county can be more technologically savvy.
“Hopefully we can push the other (county) departments in that direction too,” Chmiel said.
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Fast Fact:
The new computer servers will cost the county $17,841 in training and installation fees, then $55,565 each year through 2017.
