The Alpine City Council has decided to engage EDLINK18, a well-established technology consortium, as its managed service provider to modernize and secure the city’s IT infrastructure. This partnership marks a significant upgrade in the city’s approach to handling technology needs across its departments and services.
About EDLINK18
Founded in 1990, EDLINK18 incorporates Region 18 Education Service Center (ESC), local education agencies (LEAs), and various local government agencies within Region 18. It provides an array of technology services including Internet access, network monitoring, cybersecurity, and more. EDLINK18’s mission is to create a world-class educational environment that transcends geographic and temporal barriers, facilitating resource sharing and collaboration across educational and governmental entities.
Why Alpine Chose EDLINK18
EDLINK18’s expansive experience and broad scope of services make it a pivotal resource for entities like the City of Alpine, which face increasing technological challenges. The consortium’s reliable and adaptable team has more than 95 years of collective experience and has successfully satisfied over 34 clients with their expertise in everything from basic desktop services to advanced hybrid cloud solutions. Their proactive approach in researching and implementing the latest technologies ensures that their partners receive the most efficient and secure solutions available.
Geographical and Demographic Reach
Operating across a vast area of 37,553 square miles, EDLINK18 serves a diverse range of members including more than 6,300 educators and 88,000 students across 19 counties. This includes a wide variety of educational institutions and districts from Alpine ISD to Wink – Loving ISD, highlighting the consortium’s capacity to manage large-scale and varied IT needs.
Offered IT Solutions
EDLINK18’s services extend to cyber security, software solutions, contracted support, disaster recovery, cloud services, and Internet/WAN services. This comprehensive range of services ensures that the City of Alpine can access state-of-the-art technology solutions that are cost-effective, dependable, and tailored to meet the city’s specific operational requirements.
Implementation and Impact on Alpine
During the City Council meeting, Casey Ritchie, Chief Technology Officer for Region 18 ESC, detailed how EDLINK18 would take over tasks such as software updates, network security, and general maintenance. This move is expected to relieve city staff from the intricate demands of IT management, allowing them to focus more on their primary roles and responsibilities.
City Manager Megan Antrim emphasized the necessity of this transition, citing past difficulties in managing IT resources effectively and the ongoing risk of cyber threats. She outlined the potential for enhanced computer management and more robust cybersecurity measures under EDLINK18’s oversight.
Council’s Approval and Future Steps
The proposal to use EDLINK18 as the city’s MSP was strongly supported by the council, recognizing the need to address the existing gaps in technology management and to prepare for future mandates and security requirements. The decision to partner with EDLINK18 is set to cost $38,450 annually, with expectations of additional costs for software subscriptions and other related expenses as part of the comprehensive IT overhaul.
By adopting EDLINK18’s managed IT services, the City of Alpine aims to enhance operational efficiencies, safeguard sensitive data, and ensure a more reliable technological environment for its departments and the community it serves.
