PRRD authorizes $81,433 for server cluster upgrade

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — The Peace River Regional District (PRRD) board has authorized the purchase of components for the district’s server cluster to CDW Canada for $81,433.05.

PRRD Chair Brad Sperling and Chief Administrative Officer Shawn Dahlen were authorized to sign an agreement with CDW Canada after the directors made their decision during a board meeting on March 21st.

The contract is for purchasing nodes for the PRRD’s SCALE Computing Hyper-converged Infrastructure (HCI) server cluster.

According to the district, the cluster has been a key piece of infrastructure, which has supported operations within the PRRD and provided robust performance since it was implemented in 2017. However, three out of the four nodes comprising the cluster have reached their “end of life” phase, which, according to the PRRD, would significantly impact the district’s operations.

“As of mid-2024, software upgrades, technical support, and services for these aging node clusters will no longer be provided,” said a report to directors.

“This situation poses a significant risk to our operations, as the absence of necessary maintenance and support could lead to system vulnerabilities and potential disruptions.”

The purchase to replace the nodes will give the infrastructure an upgraded lifecycle for the next six to seven years without compromising performance or security, said the report.

The PRRD says the cost of the nodes is under the budgeted amount of $125,000, and the regional board approved the purchase as a supplemental item in 2024.

CDW Canada specializes in technology for business, government and education and is a subsidiary of the CDW Corporation of Illinois.

The full report presented to directors can be viewed below: