SR 06:171 - Laserfiche WebLink

Over the past few months, Information Technology staff has met with Wi-Fi vendors with the goal of identifying the most appropriate technology for this project. Staff's focus has been in 802.11 systems that are reliable, cost effective, and secure, with scalability for expansion. (802.11 is a standard for wireless systems that is best suited for expanding our existing wired networks to wireless "hot-spots" or wireless local area networks (WLANs) that are license-free for users.) Once implemented, the proposed "hotzone" would "extend" the City's network to the Downtown, including the civic center. As identified in the Coverage Area Map (Attachment A), the coverage area would generally include Arroyo Del Valle to the north, First Street to the east, Senior Center to the south, and the ACE train station to the west. The proposed system would provide a strong signal to the outdoor areas of the entire coverage area and the inside of buildings including the Pleasanton Library, Police Station, City Hall, the Veterans Building, Firehouse Arts Center, and the Museum on Main Street. While the project is not intended to provide service to the interior of other buildings, due to the nature of radio frequency (RF) signals, there may be some unpreventable low-level signals detected inside buildings located throughout the entire coverage area and outside the coverage area. The primary purpose of the Downtown Wi-Fi will be to allow City staff to access the City's network while providing services in the Downtown and in City buildings. Potential benefits from this system are as follows: Public Saftty - Currently, all police vehicles are equipped with mobile data computers (MDCs) allowing officers to retrieve and send information by cellular data services. While this system has proven to be reliable, having a wireless connection will provide faster connections with greater bandwidth. With the Wi-Fi network in place, police officers could securely access the City's network to transmit reports to and from the police station, conduct data searches and obtain information from regional, state and national public safety data systems. In addition, standard maintenance procedures would be improved because the MDCs could receive software and programming upgrades while parked in the civic center parking lot. While fire vehicles are not currently equipped with MDCs, this technology is planned for the future and once employed, fire vehicles will have access to both City and regional databases. Finally, in the event of an emergency, the system could facilitate a mobile command center with access to the City's E-Team emergency management software. General City Staff Use - City staff is frequently involved with Downtown activities and the proposed Wi-Fi service will allow staff to access reports, electronic manuals, the City land management system, email, calendaring and other information that is beneficial while working with these events. It could also facilitate City field operations such as building and code enforcement inspections. In addition, because the system will be designed to operate within City owned buildings, it will be beneficial for meetings requiring Internet access for presentations and data retrieval. SR:06:171 Page 2