Da Nang becomes tech-savvier with the Microsoft cloud platform

Source: Microsoft. The data centre in Da Nang.

Regional authorities in Vietnam are committed to developing a modern platform for people to efficiently access a wide range of government services; they also want to empower their staff to responsively, and responsibly, serve the populace. These goals were a cornerstone of municipal officials’ vision to make Da Nang a modern, desirable place to live in.

However, the Da Nang data centre was based on a traditional, physical model, with very few integrated services. More than 20 government agencies operated independently IT-wise. Regional authorities faced a huge challenge: how could they transform the centre’s inefficient infrastructure and diversified IT platform into a unified entity that would offer agencies and the public a “one-stop shop” approach?

Da Nang officials deployed a cloud data centre solution with Microsoft's Windows Server 2012 R2 and Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 included in the core platform. System Center manages the city’s Windows and Linux systems, allowing for robust cross-platform monitoring support. When researching different products, city officials were impressed with how well Windows Server 2012 R2 aligned with the city’s goals: this enterprise-class cloud and data centre platform is able to both deploy, and expand upon, the government’s varied applications and websites. Decision makers appreciated how Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 could simplify the operation of a large-scale IT infrastructure.

Unlike solutions that require replacement of legacy IT infrastructure, Microsoft’s open platform integrates effortlessly with Da Nang’s current systems—including applications developed using open source software such as Java and PHP. As a result, Da Nang government workers found Microsoft’s intuitive open platform quite easy to use right from the start. 

Nguyen Quang Thanh, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Information and Communications states, ”With our data centre deployed on the Microsoft cloud platform, we are able to seamlessly integrate with open source software. The system has become more diverse, being able to provide for a wider range of customers with different needs.”

The efficiency gains with the open platform means that government staff are now available to offer more targeted services for the population—and with much fewer interruptions. As a result, the costs saved in improved performance promise to more than offset the price of the entire implementation.

Windows Server 2012 R2 and Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 have enabled Da Nang to consolidate its IT resources by packing them into services and then uploading them into its portal. This allows all the products to be accessed 24x7, thus delivering efficient services to the public. “Flexibility and speedy information processing now enable city leaders to respond quickly to opportunities and challenges, bringing a better life for its citizens,” states Vu Minh Tri, General Director of Microsoft Vietnam. “This takes Da Nang one step closer to becoming a modern, intelligent city.”

Recently, Microsoft CityNext solutions were introduced to Da Nang City authorities. CityNext is part of Microsoft’s global initiative to empower municipalities, businesses, and citizens to develop more dynamic communities of the future. The CityNext solutions are expected to bring even more positive changes to the area’s governmental efficiency through flexible cloud services, applications, and high-end equipment for staff, as well modern solutions and a big data platform to improve the capacity of the city’s public sector.

Local government is now much more responsive to the needs of its citizens, and Da Nang is considered one of the most desirable cities to live in. The city has also held the top spot in Vietnam’s ICT Index for six consecutive years, from 2009 to 2014).