[LINK] Customs says ICS was ready to go

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

Customs says ICS was ready to go
Customs Media Release 
Tuesday, 22nd November 2005 
http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=6489

Customs refutes media reports today that it turned on the imports component of
its new IT system before it was ready.

A Customs spokesperson said that contrary to today's news articles Customs was
aware of the required capacity of the system and was confident that its
activities would provide the capability necessary to support ICS imports.

"Capacity requirements were under continual review and encompassed hardware as
well as software considerations."

Claims made by an anonymous source that Customs was forced to undertake an
emergency upgrade are incorrect.

"The increase to the mainframe capacity on 15 October, from 3,100 MIPS* to
4,120 MIPS, was in line with the capacity planning preparations established
before cutover," a Customs spokesperson said.

"At peak loads the ICS is currently successfully operating within 2,700 MIPs.
The planning for this capacity upgrade was a prudent and standard approach for
the implementation of a major IT project."

The Australian's reference to 'lost messages' is incorrect. No messages are in
fact lost. The location of any message can always be traced in the system and
refers to the scenario where a message is submitted to the ICS but is not
responded to in the manner expected by the client.

Customs ICS is a robust and flexible system and continues to handle well the
high volume workloads associated with the introduction of the imports component
of the ICS.

Customs and industry are currently working closely to address ICS
implementation issues and Customs regrets that these ill-informed views would
in any way damage the progress that has been made.

* Millions of instructions per second

Media inquiries:
For further details contact Corporate Communication (02) 6275 6793

--
A good indignation brings out all one's powers. 
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Sydney Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au