Ministry contracts Unisys to prepare for the EU-chair

Unisys is in charge of the project management with the sub-contractors Fallmann and Bauernfeind (FABA), Management Data and Xsoft. FABA delivered the basic software, FABAsoft Components, including workflow and workgroup computing file transfer, Management Data takes care of the supply with passive network components and their installation and Xsoft supports the large PC installation as well as the server configuration.

The consulting company Diebold is implemented as project controller. Besides the general contractorship, Unisys delivers the hardware, active network components and all other necessary services. The user training and the entire system and application design is being done by Unisys Business and Technical consultants. The key point of the project, the integration of the Maria-Theresian office administration system, was also worked out and implemented.

The large workflow project includes the installation and operation of 650 client PCs in the seven Viennese branches of the Ministry and the operability of a central server system under Windows NT. Modern workflow and office tools are used to establish an up-to-date communication infrastructure with the foreign Austrian representatives. The orientation on the Maria-Theresian office administration system and the use of Microsoft standard applications at the same time were key points in the project design. 100 users tested the system and in June 1997 it was fully operable with 650 users.

The hardware consists of 650 Aquanta PCs, twelve rackmount servers and various peripheral devices, such as optivcal archive, ISDN Fax and CD-ROM. Apart from the chairmanship of the EU the Ministry wanted the new IT infrastructure to reply faster an more efficiently to requests, wishes or complaints of Austrian citizens and/or foreign embassies in Austria and to build up professional communication with the foreign Austrian representatives.