Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to appoint a qualified service provider to procure, implement, and support hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) solutions for the Department of Transport (DoT). The project aims to replace aging server, storage, and network hardware, deploy a private cloud environment, and ensure seamless migration of data and services. Additionally, the provider is expected to deliver training, documentation, and support to enable the department’s staff to operate and maintain the new infrastructure effectively.

Scope

The scope of work includes:

• Provision of hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) hardware and software for DoT Head Office (Pretoria) and Centurion data centers, each with 150 TB usable capacity.
• Supply, configure, and migrate data from existing blade server and storage infrastructure into the new HCI environment.
• Deployment of rack, networking switches, and management components, including all necessary cabling and physical setup.
• Installation and configuration of VMware vSphere, vCenter, and related management tools, ensuring compatibility and enhanced features such as linked mode.
• Provision of hardware with generative AI capabilities and support for AI workloads.
• Implementation of network switches, management switches, and related infrastructure at both sites.
• Provision of formal training credits for staff on HCI and VMware vSphere management and installation.
• Development of documentation, migration plans, testing, and knowledge transfer.
• Post-deployment support, maintenance, and support plans, including support for 60 months.

Technical Requirements

The technical specifications include:

• Provision of HCI nodes with compute and storage components, each with 150 TB usable capacity, featuring Intel Xeon Gold processors, NVMe drives, and networking transceivers.
• Hardware must support generative AI workloads and include features such as redundancy, hot-plug power supplies, and high availability.
• Supply of all necessary rack, PDU, transceivers, and network switches, including 48x25GbE and 100GbE switches for data centers.
• Implementation of VMware vSphere 7 Enterprise Plus, vRealize Operations, and linked mode configurations.
• Deployment of network switches with specified port configurations, redundancy, and enterprise support.
• Configuration of network, storage, and management nodes, including management switches with support for 1G, 10G, and 100G ports.
• Migration of existing data and virtual machines, with detailed planning, testing, and documentation.
• Provision of training and knowledge transfer, including certified professional exams and formal training credits.

Skills Requirements

The successful bidder must demonstrate:

• Experience in deploying and managing hyperconverged infrastructure solutions, preferably with Dell, VMware, and related technologies.
• Proven expertise in VMware vSphere, vCenter, and linked mode configurations.
• Capability to design, implement, and migrate data centers to hyperconverged environments with minimal downtime.
• Technical proficiency in network design, including configuring enterprise switches, routers, and management switches.
• Experience in data migration, system integration, and testing within complex enterprise environments.
• Certified professionals in VMware, networking, and storage technologies.
• Ability to provide formal training, certification support, and comprehensive documentation.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, execution, and reporting.