Feds launch $45-million networking project - Employment and Immigration Canada
Feds launch $45-million networking project - Employment and Immigration Canada

Computing Canada, June 20, 1991 by Paul Barker



A multi-million dollar connectivity campaign at Employment and Immigration Canada (EIC) will see 800 Banyan Vines networks and an estimated 8,000 386-based machines installed during the next three years.



Earlier this spring, Supply and Services Canada awarded a $45 million contract to Acer Canada Ltd. and Mohawk Data Sciences-Canada Ltd. (MDS), a value-added-reseller of Banyan Systems Inc.



Under terms of the contract, Markham, Ont.-based MDS, a subsidiary of Recognition Equipment Inc. of Dallas, Tex., will install networks and PCs in 265 local Employment Centres across the country. Installations began last month.



In a statement released last month, Banyan said the "objective is to support increased levels of automation in these offices and provide direct links to EIC's five regional computer centres and their Unisys mainframes."



MDS will also provide ongoing training, service and support.



According to Peter Brugger, a spokesman for MDS, the networking portion represents "10-15 per cent" of the total contract.



"The main challenge is coordinating so many complex activities on a coast-to-coast basis simultaneously," said Brugger.



The Banyan-supplied network operating system software will be a combination of Vines and Vines Team -- the latter for satellite locations with 10 users or less.



It also has the ability to support both English and French-speaking users on the network at the same time.



COPYRIGHT 1991 Transcontinental Media IT Business Group

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