Under an executive order issued by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a target has been set to reduce energy consumption in IT operations by 30% by 2012. The order also calls for CIOs of government agencies to work to shrink the total amount of data center footage currently utilized by 25% by July of 2010 and by 50% by July of 2011.
Governor Schwarzenegger said the order serves as a roadmap to standardize IT governance and information security, and furthers the state’s ongoing efforts to modernize its technology infrastructure.
“With today’s action we are acknowledging the progress that has been made, while laying the framework to make further improvements in the state’s IT operations,” he said in a statement. “This action will increase transparency in spending, promote greater cost savings and define specific targets to reduce energy usage in our IT systems and further consolidate services.”
In 2007 Schwarzenegger established the Office of the State Chief Information Officer as a cabinet-level agency with authority over information technology policy. Just over a year ago, he consolidated statewide IT functions under the Office of the CIO and set a goal to achieve $1.5 billion in cost savings.
The order issued this week also calls for all state agencies, departments, boards, and bureaus to appoint CIOs who will be directly responsible for IT and telecommunications activities. The CIOs have been tasked with ensuring that each agency conforms to state IT policies and enterprise architecture.
The order also calls for agencies to transition to the state’s shared e-mail security and encryption system by June of 2010 and to migrate to the state’s shared e-mail system by June 2011.
California spends more than $3 billion annually on information technology and telecommunications.
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