There is mounting confusion over the proposed construction of a new data centre at the State University of New York Institute of Technology (SUNYIT).
Governor George Pataki had earlier announced that the centre would consolidate under one roof four existing facilities currently located in Albany. The consolidation will increase operational efficiency, meet growing information technology demands of state agencies and improve security of critical systems and citizen information.
It was reported that about 27 state agencies will be monitored through the new data center.
However, an Albany union official has commented that the project will not happen. The president of the Public Employees Federation union, which represents 56,000 professional, scientific and technical state employees, said the state doesn't have concrete plans to move four data centers in the Albany area to Marcy.
This contradicts comments made by Lt. Gov. Mary Donohue who said that SUNYIT has been selected as the site for the new state-of-the-art center, and that the state Legislature has approved $99.5 million for the facility. Construction will begin in September 2007, and the center should be operational by 2010 or 2011, Donohue said.
Despite the excitement of Peter A Spina, interim president of SUNYIT, concerning the potential job creation and benefits to student, staff and businesses alike, local leaders have voiced opposition to the move, stating that the Utica area's infrastructure could not support a consolidated data centre.