Defence to trial four containerised computer rooms

Defence is set to run a “feasibility trial” of four containerised computer rooms that could make life easier for IT teams that support joint land force operations.

The department will acquire four of what it is calling “ICT mobility systems” to house servers, UPS, routers, switches, and cabling.

The hardware is associated with two technology environments - the Deployed Information Environment (DIE) and the Australian Mission Partner Environment (AUSMPE).

The DIE has previously been called “one of the largest ICT networks in Australia”, connecting “over 500 Defence sites within Australia and overseas”.

Both, Defence said, are “deployable local area networks (ICT systems and infrastructure) used by the Australian Defence Force to enable command and control, and situational awareness for deployed forces.”

“Enhanced mobility and survivability of these systems is essential to address the challenges posed by contemporary and future land conflicts,” Defence said in tender documents.

Currently, the equipment is rack-mounted in ruggedised “transportable transit cases”. 

“These transit cases must be packed, unloaded, the hardware assembled, then wired and configured in the deployed environment (typically inside tents) which involves lengthy set up and pack up times, constraining the ADF’s ability to quickly establish and reconstitute as needed to meet the required operational tempo,” Defence said.

Hosting the systems in small shipping containers would reduce setup times and better protect IT equipment in a range of operating conditions.

The feasibility trial forms part of works associated with the Commonwealth Land Command, Control, Communications and Computing (LC4) program.

The program is intended to “modernise and enhance LC4 systems in order to deliver decision-making superiority and improve the command and control, intelligence, sensors, and weapon system effectors, essential for the conduct of joint land force operations,” Defence said.