Public Services Network

The Public Services Network (PSN) will create a single, more secure telecommunications infrastructure and creates opportunities for greater information sharing between public sector organisations

What is the PSN?

The Public Services Network will be a single, holistic telecommunications infrastructure for the whole of the public sector. It would replace the existing approach where each public body designs, develops, installs and maintains its own network – an approach which has led to fragmented and expensive service delivery. As well as reducing operating costs and complexity, the Public Sector Network opens up new opportunities for information sharing and increasing local and national participation.

What benefits will it bring to public sector organisations?

The Public Services Network is expected to deliver annual savings worth at least £500 million by 2014. Public sector bodies will be able to use Public Services Network contracting vehicles for all their telecommunications needs, thereby significantly reducing the costs and timescales of procurement for the private and public sectors. It will create an innovative marketplace – where competitively priced, commoditised services can be obtained on a utility basis and suppliers compete to introduce innovation.

What will the PSN consist of?

Government Conveyance Network (GCN): this will be a composite ‘mesh’ of core industry networks used to interconnect supplier data networks and other services in terms of network transport. Any operator can participate, provided they meet stated capability and standards criteria

Service Information Monitor (SIM): this is a repository of data providing an appropriate end-to-end view of service information and service interdependency, underpinning service and performance management across services and suppliers. The Service Information Monitor will help tackle faults and service events rapidly, by ensuring that the most likely root cause or origin is identified earlier.

Standardised common services: the Public Services Network will provide a range of important services including common user authentication standards, standards for intrusion detection services, secure file transfer, standardised email services, a domain name system, secure internet access and directory integration.

How is this transition taking place?

By the end of 2012, all Government Secure Intranet (GSi) ‘family’ (including x.GSi, GCSX, PSI, GSE) and Managed Telephony System customers will migrate to Public Services Network-based services and 80% of public sector users will have started utilising the Public Services Network marketplace. Further development work will ensure that 95% of network services procurements are carried out through the Public Services Network services directory by the end of 2015, and that all government voice systems will move from the public service telephone network to delivery using voice over internet protocol by 2017.

The Public Services Network will also provide for a changing user environment. As workers need to become more mobilised, and expect to access their ICT services whenever and wherever they want, the Public Services Network will allow for voice, data and secure information sharing capabilities.

Moreover, the Public Services Network is expected to bring in over £500m worth of savings a year on the Government's spend of £16.5bn.

How can Hytec help my organisation?

For current central government services, Local Authorities are connected to GCSx by adhering to the Code of Connection (currently on version 4.1). With the advent of the PSN, this will change to become ‘The PSN Codes’, stating the minimum required infrastructure and associated security for an organisation connecting to the PSN. Organisations must comply with these PSN codes if they wish to connect.

Local Authorities and other public sector bodies will need to transition from the current GCSx Code of Connection (CoCo) to the PSN Codes, and there are radical changes between the two as the user base of the PSN is expected to become much larger than existing GCSx and N3 users. More information will change hands and infrastructure will have to adapt to this growing demand.

Alan Hunt, Hytec’s Technical Director, has been heavily involved in developments for the Public Services Network through his work with LPSN, and the LPSN2 (successor to London Public Services Network) and on the healthcare side, Connecting to Health. The aim of all these organisations is to create an infrastructure which drives efficiency and enables joined-up working in the most productive manner.

The Technical Team at Hytec can help your organisation get ahead of the curve and make the transition process from GCSx CoCo 4.1 to the PSN Codes much less complicated.

We can:

• Introduce your organisation to the structure of PSN and how it will affect you and your access to existing services through workshops and seminars.
• Conduct an infrastructure review looking at your organisation’s infrastructure and security, in line with standards set by the Public Sector Network Authority (PSNA).
• Design (and install) any technical architecture requirements.
• Handle communication and bureaucracy with the Direct Network Service Providers (DNSPs) who will supply your organisation with the service connection.
• Prepare you for the PSN Codes submission and complete this on your behalf if necessary.
• Assist in the transition from GSi and/ or N3 to PSN.
• Provide ongoing support for submission of future versions of the PSN Codes.
• If necessary, streamline your organisation’s applications through the PSN network to further enable joined-up working.
• Assist in the integration of or access to services via PSN- realising significant benefits from the network connection.

If you would like to find out more about Hytec's services for PSN, please click here to contact us or call our helpful sales team on 01865 887 428.