HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 1/17/2017 - Memorandum From Kevin R. Gertig And Dan Coldiron Re: Broadband Discussion Follow Up - December 20, 2016 Council Work SessionUtilities
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700 Wood Street
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6700
970.221.6619 – fax
970.224.6003 – TDD
utilities@fcgov.com
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M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: January 5, 2017
TO: Mayor Troxell and Councilmembers
FROM: Kevin R. Gertig, Utilities Executive Director
Dan Coldiron, Chief Information Officer
THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
RE: Broadband Discussion Follow-Up (December 13, 2016 Council Work Session)
A Council Work Session was held on broadband options on December 13, 2016. A summary of follow-
up items requested of staff is provided below.
Cyber Security
In 2013, a resource was hired into the Utilities IT group to focus 100% on cyber security for the City of
Fort Collins Utilities’ applications. Several projects have been launched utilizing third- party cyber
security expert firms to assess the vulnerability of critical systems that are key to Utilities’ operations.
These projects, which began in 2015, continued into 2016 and will go forward into 2017. Mitigation
efforts are currently underway as a result of the 2015 project. The resource in Utilities IT works
collaboratively with the City’s Cyber Security Architect and the IT Director of Infrastructure on matters
relating to network, routers, firewalls and other infrastructure-related areas. This work is ongoing and
will continue as part of our continuous improvement program.
Fiber History for the City of Fort Collins
Prior to 1998, the City of Fort Collins Utilities relied on high speed T-1 telephone lines for data and
control communications. High-speed phone lines proved to be both unreliable and prone to numerous
outages. In turn, the outages caused significant communication issues at our facilities. In 1998, the City
of Fort Collins partnered with Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) to build a fiber optic backbone for
substation operations and communications. In July 1999, the City of Fort Collins developed plans in
partnership with PRPA to extend the fiber optic network to the LaPorte Water Treatment Facility (WTF);
work was completed in December 1999. That project also included a fiber connection to the Soldier
Canyon Water Plant. In 2003, a redundant loop to the WTF was established through a partnership with
Colorado State University (CSU) that continues to be in place and maintains the integrity required for
critical infrastructure.
Other notable fiber installations include the Foothills storage facility fiber, the southwest pump station,
and the Drake and Mulberry Water Reclamation Facilities.
Today, our infrastructure is supported on high-speed, reliable fiber optic backbones for our daily
operations. The fiber loop continues to be in place and provides the integrity we require to maintain
critical infrastructure.
We look forward to further analysis as suggested at the Work Session.
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