For many areas around the world, it is a significant problem: how best to prepare for the future? In anticipation of an exceptionally high-tech and fast-paced tomorrow, there has been a global outpouring of investment into digital infrastructure. For some however, this process is far from easy.
Take Da Nang, Vietnam for instance. With over a million residents, and on the tourist trail, it would seem there would be no real obstacles for development. Yet, suffering from poverty and crime, balancing the vision for a digital future with the needs of the present is no small task.
Enter the Microsoft cloud. Instead of opting for a full, dream, transformation, the city instead decided to focus on what could be done in the here and now, and the cloud offered a number of distinct advantages. Through investment in the city’s IT infrastructure, and with the help of the Microsoft cloud, it has been possible to unite the IT needs of 20 city departments under one umbrella, as detailed on an official Microsoft blog.
Regarding the move, Nguyen Quang Thanh, Da Nang Department of Information and Communications, Deputy Director had this to say,
“With our datacenter system deployed on the Microsoft cloud platform, we are able to seamlessly integrate with open source software. The system has become more diverse, being able to provide for a wider range of customers with different needs.”
In addition to providing state-of-the-art service to the public, this move has also helped to maximize cost effectiveness among the various departments. Moreover, having made this investment, it will now be a great deal easier for the city to respond to the needs of businesses and the general economy in the region, setting a pattern for improvement that will likely continue.
Do you think more should be done to invest in the digital infrastructure of cities? Let us know in the comments below.
