Item 07: Microsoft Cloud Data

[COSM_Admin]

Consider approval of Resolution 2022‑253R, approving a contract with FreeIT Data Solutions, Inc through the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) Program, for “Backup As A Service” (BAAS) for Microsoft 365 cloud data in the estimated amount of $56,235.19 for an initial three‑year term, with up to three additional one‑year renewals for a total contract amount not to exceed $118,549.86; authorizing the City Manager or her designee to execute the contract; and declaring an effective date.​

 

[JHughson]

Remind me again why we are using the "cloud" for our Microsoft data? I thought it was because it's cheaper than storing it ourselves. That's what a staff member told me.
But we have to back up the cloud?
So why don't we just store it ourselves? And back it up?

 

[COSM_Admin]

Response provided by Mike Sturm, Director of IT:
A few years ago, we shifted our Microsoft licensing to their “cloud” based model. This model allowed us to take advantage of Microsoft’s managed services and moved a lot of the management and overhead to Microsoft support. This model is cheaper from a server, storage, and workload standpoint for the City. Though our services are in the Microsoft cloud, Microsoft does not back up any of the city data. If Microsoft has any form of data loss, the City potentially could lose all email and files in the cloud. With Microsoft not providing this service, the City needed to get a third-party service to backup our cloud data. Since the service is already in the cloud, we decided on a native cloud backup solution to facilitate the backing up of cloud data.