IT proposal for the City of Palmer

Every piece, in the new library

The network, server, and move plan for the New Palmer Public Library, 655 S Valley Way. Click the building to open it, then any floor or marker to see that part of the plan.

Prepared for
City of Palmer
Prepared by
Vicinity Group Inc.
Date
October 2026

MTA business internet

MTA fiber is the library's main internet connection. The City orders the circuit, and it enters the building in the network room, where it connects to the firewall.

Starlink Business on the roof

A Starlink dish on the roof is the backup connection. If MTA service drops, the firewall moves traffic to Starlink automatically and moves it back when MTA returns.

City Hall and Microsoft Azure

The library joins the City's network over an encrypted tunnel to the City Hall firewall, the same design as the City's other sites. With the recommended server option, the library's servers and virtual desktops run in Microsoft Azure over their own encrypted tunnel.

Roof and Starlink dish

The Starlink dish sits on a pipe mount on the roof above the network room, with a clear view of the sky.

Wi-Fi 7 access points

24 FortiAP 441K access points cover both floors, about one for every 830 square feet. Staff, public, and building devices each get their own network, and the public network has no path to staff or City systems.

Ten public computer seats

Each seat has a 27-inch monitor. In options 1 and 2, the seat is a Dell Pro Micro desktop. In options 2A and 3, it is a 10ZiG zero client that opens a virtual desktop on the library's desktop server or in Azure, so every session starts from the same clean image.

Staff computers

Staff computers at the circulation desk, in the workroom, and in the second-floor office connect to the staff network, with access to City resources. Staff keep their current computers, which Vicinity moves and reconnects.

Laptops patrons check out

Five Dell Pro 14 laptops that patrons check out at the circulation desk and use anywhere in the building on the public Wi-Fi.

Granite EPIK

MTA is retiring copper phone lines. Granite EPIK replaces them with a fully managed voice service over the internet. The lobby phone, and the fire alarm and elevator lines if they need one, plug into the EPIK unit in the network room.

FortiGate 120G

The firewall connects the library to MTA and Starlink, runs the encrypted tunnels to City Hall and Azure, and filters web traffic. Its security services include intrusion prevention, malware protection, and web and DNS filtering.

Four FortiSwitch 124G

Every network drop in the building patches into one of four switches. Each has 24 ports at 2.5 Gbps and powers access points and other devices over the network cable.

Patch panels

The construction contractor's cabling ends on labeled patch panels in this rack. Short patch cables connect each drop to a switch port.

Four APC Smart-UPS units

The battery backups keep the firewall and switches running through short power outages and report their status to Vicinity's monitoring.

Server and Datto backup

In options 1 and 2, the server and a Datto SIRIS backup appliance sit in this rack. Option 2A adds a second server for the public desktops. With Azure, this space stays open.

The proposal

Ready on opening day

The new Palmer Public Library at 655 S Valley Way is scheduled to finish in Q3 2027. The library’s current server is a 2018 Dell PowerEdge T330 that has been out of warranty since October 2023, and the Windows Server 2016 systems on it reach end of support on January 12, 2027. The network at the temporary Arctic Avenue location runs on routers, firewalls, and access points that are past manufacturer support.

This proposal covers what the new building needs on opening day. It includes a Fortinet network that joins the City’s network design, four options for replacing the library server compared on five-year cost, and a move plan that brings both online before the doors open.

20,000square feet across two floors
24Wi-Fi 7 access points
3server options compared over five years
Q3 2027scheduled opening

Where things stand

The library's current systems reach end of life before the move

Vicinity inventoried the library’s systems through the City’s monitoring platform on October 7, 2026. Every major component has already reached end of support or will reach it before the new building opens. The deadline that drives the schedule is January 12, 2027, when Windows Server 2016 support ends.

The City is already moving its sites off Metro Ethernet onto business internet, with each site joined to City Hall over an encrypted tunnel. The new library is the natural place to build that design from the start.

The library's systems today

SystemWhat it is todaySupport status
ServerDell PowerEdge T330, purchased 2018, running Windows Server 2016Hardware warranty ended October 2023. Windows Server 2016 support ends January 12, 2027
Domain controllerVirtual machine on the T330, Windows Server 2016Support ends January 12, 2027
File and application serverVirtual machine on the T330, Windows Server 2016, about 230 GB in useSupport ends January 12, 2027
Library management PCWindows 10 virtual machine on the T330Windows 10 support ended October 2025
RouterCisco ISR4321 on the City's Metro Ethernet serviceCisco software maintenance ended August 31, 2025
Public networkMeraki MX64 firewall and two access pointsPast manufacturer support. The firewall is a single point of failure for public internet access

Building network

One Fortinet network that joins the City's design

The City has standardized on Fortinet for firewalls, switching, and wireless, so the library joins the same management console as City Hall and the other sites. A FortiGate 120G connects the building to the City Hall FortiGate over an encrypted tunnel and gives the library its own internet path, so a City Hall outage doesn’t take the library offline.

2internet connections, MTA with Starlink as automatic backup
24Wi-Fi 7 access points, about one per 830 square feet
4switches with power for every access point at full strength

A Starlink Business connection backs up the MTA circuit, and the FortiGate switches traffic to it automatically if MTA service drops. The library keeps three separate networks for staff, public, and building devices. The firewall’s security services close the web filtering gap noted in the City’s 2026 cyber insurance renewal. MTA is retiring analog phone lines, so the building’s analog devices connect through a Granite EPIK unit instead.

Bill of materials, building network

Support terms shown are first year.
QtyPartDescription
Firewall
1FG-120G-BDL-950-12FortiGate 120G firewall with 1 year of FortiCare Premium support and Unified Threat Protection (intrusion prevention, malware protection, web and DNS filtering, application control)
1FC-10-F120G-585-02-12FortiAnalyzer Cloud logging and reporting for the FortiGate, 1 year
Switching
4FS-124G-FPOEFortiSwitch 124G: 24 ports at 2.5 Gbps (8 at 90 W PoE, 16 at 30 W PoE), 6 SFP+ 10 Gbps ports, 780 W PoE budget
4FC-10-S24GF-247-02-12FortiCare Premium support for each switch, 1 year
12FN-TRAN-SFP+GC-T8010 Gbps copper SFP+ modules for the firewall-to-switch links and the server's 10 Gbps connections
Wireless
24FAP-441K-AFortiAP 441K Wi-Fi 7 access points: 4 radios, 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz, ceiling and wall mounts included
24FC-10-FP41K-247-02-12FortiCare Premium support for each access point, 1 year
Power
4SRT1500RMXLA-NCAPC Smart-UPS SRT 1500 VA online rackmount battery backup with network management card and extended runtime
4SRTRK3APC Smart-UPS SRT 2-post mounting rail kit
4AP9563APC 1U rack power distribution unit, 20 A, ten outlets
Backup internet
1Starlink Performance Kit (Gen 3)Starlink Business satellite internet with pipe adapter, a second internet connection that the FortiGate fails over to if MTA service drops
1Local Priority 1 TBStarlink Business service plan, 1 TB of priority data a month, billed monthly
Cabling
72Cat 6, 3 ftPatch cables from the contractor's patch panels to the switches

How the network is laid out

Three separate networks

  • Staff, with access to City resources
  • Public, for patron Wi-Fi and public computers, with content filtering set by library staff and no path to staff or City systems
  • Building, for devices like printers, cameras, and controllers

Internet and failover

MTA business internet is the primary connection. A Starlink Business Performance Kit on the Local Priority plan (1 TB of priority data a month) is the backup. The FortiGate watches both connections and moves traffic, including the tunnels to City Hall, to Starlink if MTA service drops, then moves it back when MTA returns.

Security

The firewall's security services include intrusion prevention, malware protection, and web and DNS filtering. They close the filtering gap noted in the City's 2026 cyber insurance renewal. Logs go to FortiAnalyzer Cloud for reporting.

Wi-Fi and power

Wi-Fi uses 24 FortiAP 441K Wi-Fi 7 access points, about one for every 830 square feet. Each switch has eight 90 W ports, which is enough to run every access point at full power with all four radios active. A predictive Wi-Fi design against the floor plans sets the final placement. Coverage is indoors only, and outdoor access points for the roof deck are not part of this bid.

Battery backup

Four APC Smart-UPS units with network management cards keep the firewall and switches running through short power outages and report their status to Vicinity's monitoring.

Analog lines: Granite EPIK

Granite EPIK replaces copper phone lines with a fully managed voice service that runs over the internet. The lobby phone, and the fire alarm panel and elevator phone if they need a line, plug into the EPIK unit in the network room the same way they would plug into a phone jack today.

What EPIK provides

  • Works with the analog devices the building already plans for, with no changes to the devices
  • Fire alarm communication to NFPA 72 and e911 location for the lobby phone
  • Monitored around the clock by Granite's network operations center, which manages the service down to each line
  • A built-in 4G LTE connection that takes over if the library's internet is down
  • No equipment to buy. Each line is billed monthly on a 36-month term

What it depends on

Traditional phone lines are powered by the phone company over the copper wire, so they keep working when the building loses power. EPIK is different:

  • Power. The EPIK unit plugs into a battery-backed outlet on the network room UPS. In a power outage it keeps working for as long as the UPS lasts, and stops when the battery runs out.
  • Internet. EPIK needs a working internet connection. It uses the library's connection first, which already fails over from MTA to Starlink, and its own LTE connection if both are down. If all three are out, the lines are out.

Library server

Four ways to replace the library server

The library runs three systems: a domain controller, a file and application server, and the library management PC. Vicinity priced four ways to replace the 2018 server and compared them on what each costs the City over five years, including licensing, backup, public computers, and installation. Option 2A is option 2 with a second on-site server that runs the public desktops, as the City asked.

Option 1 Dell PowerEdge R360 1U rackmount server in the library's network room $139,156.90 five-year cost $66,221.90 upfront, including public computers, then $1,105.00 a month
Option 2 Supermicro server (Thinkmate) 1U rackmount server in the library's network room $124,209.80 five-year cost $51,274.80 upfront, including public computers, then $1,105.00 a month
Option 2A Supermicro servers with on-site virtual desktops Option 2's server, plus a second server in the network room that runs shared Windows desktops (Remote Desktop Services) for the public seats $197,328.50 five-year cost $109,193.50 upfront, including public computers, then $1,105.00 a month
Recommended Option 3 Microsoft Azure Three Windows servers hosted in Microsoft's West US 2 region, connected to the library over an encrypted tunnel $120,667.90 five-year cost $17,442.70 upfront for public computers only, then $1,651.67 a month

Vicinity recommends Azure, option 3. Over five years it costs $3,541.90 less than option 2, $18,489.00 less than option 1, and $76,660.60 less than option 2A, including the public computers and installation each option needs. It has no server hardware to buy or replace, and the public desktops are managed from one image. The tradeoff is that file shares and sign-in run over the library's internet connection, so an internet outage interrupts them. The network plan includes a Starlink backup connection that takes over automatically if MTA service drops.

Caution

Vicinity cautions against option 2A. Remote Desktop Services is an older Microsoft technology. Microsoft's work on shared desktops has moved to Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365, and RDS gets few new features. In previous deployments we have seen, it has been prone to errors and poorly received by clients and by the people using them. It is also the most expensive option, at $73,118.70 more than option 2 over five years, which is a high price for what it delivers.

Whichever option the City chooses, Vicinity moves the library’s systems onto it at the current library before Windows Server 2016 reaches end of support on January 12, 2027.

Azure: benefits and tradeoffs

Moving the library's servers to Azure changes how they fail, how they're maintained, and how they feel to use. Here is what the City gains and what staff and patrons will notice.

What the City gains

  • Security. The servers run in Microsoft data centers with controlled access, instead of in a room in a public building. Backups go to a geo-redundant vault in a second Azure region, out of reach of anything that happens at the library.
  • Easier updates. Vicinity patches and maintains the servers remotely, with no site visit. The virtual desktops run from one managed image, so an update or new application is installed once and every session gets it.
  • Less risk from hardware failure. There is no single server in the building to fail. If Microsoft's hardware fails, the server restarts on other hardware, usually within minutes. A power outage, water leak, or fire at the library doesn't take the servers down, and there is no warranty to expire or hardware to replace in year five.

What staff and patrons will notice

  • Shared files are slower to open. Windows file shares exchange many small messages for every file they open, and each one crosses the internet to Microsoft's West US 2 region and back. Large files, and folders with thousands of small files, open noticeably slower than they do from a server in the building. Moving heavily used files to OneDrive or SharePoint, which keep a local copy on each PC, avoids most of this.
  • Sign-in takes longer. Staff computers check in with the domain controller in Azure at sign-in to apply policies and map drives. That adds a few seconds compared with a domain controller down the hall. If both internet connections are down, staff can still sign in with saved credentials but can't reach shared files.
  • Virtual desktops don't feel quite like a local PC. They depend on the internet connection, so video, audio, and fast scrolling can lag when the connection is busy. Library devices such as barcode scanners, receipt printers, and card readers need to be tested with virtual desktops before opening. On the Starlink backup connection, the lag is more noticeable.
  • The cost is ongoing. The monthly price runs for as long as the City uses the service. The 3-year reservation fixes the price for the first three years, and renewals are priced at the time.

The on-site options avoid the speed issues, but the City takes on the hardware, its warranty, and its replacement in year five.

Option 2A: virtual desktops on site

Option 2A keeps option 2's server for the library's own systems and adds a second server in the network room. That server runs Microsoft Remote Desktop Services, which gives each public seat a Windows desktop shared from the server. The seats themselves are 10ZiG zero clients: small, fanless devices with no local storage that display the session.

What the City gains

  • A clean session for every patron. Each session is discarded at sign-out, so there is no reset software to manage on the public seats.
  • Works during an internet outage. The desktops run in the building, so the public seats keep working if both internet connections are down.
  • Long-lived seats. Zero clients typically last 7 to 10 years and hold no data to steal or corrupt.

What it costs

  • Older technology. Remote Desktop Services has been part of Windows Server for many years. Microsoft's development of shared desktops has moved to Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365, and RDS gets few new features.
  • Prone to errors. In deployments Vicinity has seen, shared on-site desktops have been prone to errors and poorly received by clients and by the people using them.
  • Slower desktops than a PC at each seat. Ten patrons share one server's processors, and the server has no graphics card, so video, video calls, and graphics-heavy pages are less smooth than on the desktops in options 1 and 2.
  • More licensing. Microsoft licenses Windows Server by core, so the desktop server's 64 cores need their own Windows Server licenses every year. Each public seat also needs a Remote Desktop Services device license.
  • More equipment to own. Two servers to buy, power, back up, and replace, which makes 2A the most expensive option over five years, and a high price for what it delivers.
  • Software has to support shared desktops. The library's print and reservation software must support shared Windows sessions. Vicinity confirms this with the vendor before ordering.

Server options compared

Option 1: Dell PowerEdge R360Option 2: Supermicro server (Thinkmate)Option 2A: Supermicro servers with on-site virtual desktopsOption 3: Microsoft AzureRecommended
What it is1U rackmount server in the library's network room1U rackmount server in the library's network roomOption 2's server, plus a second server in the network room that runs shared Windows desktops (Remote Desktop Services) for the public seatsThree Windows servers hosted in Microsoft's West US 2 region, connected to the library over an encrypted tunnel
ProcessorIntel Xeon E-2478, 8 cores, 2.8 GHzIntel Xeon 6515P, 16 cores, 2.3 GHz base, 3.8 GHz turboLibrary server: Intel Xeon 6515P, 16 cores. Desktop server: Intel Xeon 6767P, 64 cores, 2.4 GHz base, 3.9 GHz turbo3 virtual servers, 4 vCPU each (12 vCPU total)
Memory64 GB DDR5 ECC (2 x 32 GB). Covers today's 56 GB but not the 70 GB needed with growth128 GB DDR5-6400 ECC (4 x 32 GB), with open slots to grow to 256 GBLibrary server: 128 GB. Desktop server: 384 GB DDR5-6400 ECC (4 x 96 GB)16 GB per server (48 GB total)
Storage4 x 1.6 TB mixed-use SAS SSD in RAID 5, about 4.4 TB usable4 x 960 GB enterprise SSD in RAID 5, about 2.6 TB usable, with a Broadcom MegaRAID controller (8 GB cache, flash backup)Library server: as in option 2. Desktop server: 4 x 1.92 TB enterprise SSD in RAID 5, about 5.2 TB usable, with the same RAID controllerPremium SSD, 1 TB provisioned across the three servers, expandable
Network2 x 1 Gbps copper ports2 x 10 Gbps copper ports2 x 10 Gbps copper ports on each serverSite-to-site VPN gateway to the library's FortiGate
Warranty or termNext-business-day parts, 49 months (ends during year five)Advance parts replacement, 5 yearsAdvance parts replacement, 5 years, on both servers3-year Microsoft reserved instances, billed monthly. Microsoft replaces failed hardware
Windows Server licensingWindows Server 2025 Standard, 16 cores, yearly subscription (Microsoft's 16-core minimum applies to an 8-core server), plus client access licenses for 6 staff computersWindows Server 2025 Standard, 16 cores, yearly subscription, plus client access licenses for 6 staff computersWindows Server 2025 Standard, yearly subscription: 16 cores for the library server and 64 cores for the desktop server. Client access licenses for 6 staff computers and 10 public seats. 10 Remote Desktop Services device licenses, bought onceWindows Server licensing included in the Azure price. A Windows Enterprise E3 VDA license for each of the 10 public desktop accounts, monthly
Backup and recoveryDatto SIRIS 6 appliance with off-site replicationDatto SIRIS 6 appliance with off-site replicationDatto SIRIS 6 appliance with off-site replication, protecting both serversAzure Backup, daily, kept in a geo-redundant vault
Public computers and laptops10 Dell Pro Micro desktops (Intel Core Ultra 5, 16 GB, 512 GB SSD, Windows 11 Pro) with 27-inch Dell monitors for the public seats, and 5 Dell Pro 14 laptops for checkout10 Dell Pro Micro desktops (Intel Core Ultra 5, 16 GB, 512 GB SSD, Windows 11 Pro) with 27-inch Dell monitors for the public seats, and 5 Dell Pro 14 laptops for checkout10 10ZiG 7048qm zero clients with 27-inch Dell monitors open shared Windows desktops on the desktop server, plus 5 Dell Pro 14 laptops for checkout10 virtual desktops run in Azure. Each public seat gets a 10ZiG 7048qm zero client (a small, fanless device with no local data to manage) and a 27-inch Dell monitor, plus 5 Dell Pro 14 laptops for checkout
Things to knowQuoted September 10, 2026. Quote expires October 10, 2026, and lead time was about 13 weeksQuote 261007-45A expires October 12, 2026Quotes 261007-45A and 261008-38A expire October 12 and 13, 2026. Public sessions reset at sign-out and keep working during an internet outage. The library's print and reservation software has to support shared desktopsIncludes 10 Azure Virtual Desktop sessions managed through Nerdio. File shares and sign-in depend on the library's internet connection

Five-year cost of each option

Each option carries the same workload. Every option includes 10 public seats with 27-inch monitors and 5 checkout laptops. Options 1 and 2 use Dell Pro Micro desktops. Options 2A and 3 use 10ZiG zero clients that connect to virtual desktops. Five-year cost holds today's prices flat, including renewals after the 36-month Datto term and the 3-year Azure reservation.

Option 1: Dell PowerEdge R360Option 2: Supermicro server (Thinkmate)Option 2A: Supermicro servers with on-site virtual desktopsOption 3: Microsoft Azure
Upfront$42,438.30Dell PowerEdge R360 (Vicinity quote, September 10, 2026)$27,491.20Supermicro server, 5-year warranty (Thinkmate quote 261007-45A)$91,750.80Two Supermicro servers, 5-year warranty (Thinkmate quotes 261007-45A and 261008-38A), and 10 Remote Desktop Services device licenses$0.00No hardware purchase
Public computers$23,783.6010 Dell Pro Micro desktops with 27-inch monitors, 5 Dell Pro 14 checkout laptops$23,783.6010 Dell Pro Micro desktops with 27-inch monitors, 5 Dell Pro 14 checkout laptops$17,442.7010 10ZiG 7048qm zero clients with 27-inch monitors, 5 Dell Pro 14 checkout laptops$17,442.7010 10ZiG 7048qm zero clients with 27-inch monitors, 5 Dell Pro 14 checkout laptops
Installation and migration$3,525.0023.5 hours of system administration at $150: migration (16), 10 desktops and 5 laptops (7.5), time and materials, not to exceed$3,525.0023.5 hours of system administration at $150: migration (16), 10 desktops and 5 laptops (7.5), time and materials, not to exceed$7,125.0047.5 hours of system administration at $150: migration (16), Remote Desktop Services setup (24), 10 zero clients and 5 laptops (7.5), time and materials, not to exceed$4,125.0027.5 hours of system administration at $150: Azure setup and migration (16), virtual desktop setup (4), 10 zero clients and 5 laptops (7.5), time and materials, not to exceed
Yearly, 5 years$3,110.00$622.00 a year. Windows Server 2025 Standard (16 cores) and 6 Windows Server device CALs for staff computers$3,110.00$622.00 a year. Windows Server 2025 Standard (16 cores) and 6 Windows Server device CALs for staff computers$14,710.00$2,942.00 a year. Windows Server 2025 Standard, 80 cores (16 for the library server, 64 for the desktop server), and 16 Windows Server device CALs (6 staff computers, 10 public seats)$0.00$0.00 a year. Windows Server licensing and access included
Monthly, 60 months$66,300.00$1,105.00 a month. Datto SIRIS 6 backup and disaster recovery, 36-month term$66,300.00$1,105.00 a month. Datto SIRIS 6 backup and disaster recovery, 36-month term$66,300.00$1,105.00 a month. Datto SIRIS 6 backup and disaster recovery for both servers, 36-month term$99,100.20$1,651.67 a month. Azure servers, virtual desktops, VPN, and Nerdio management ($1,361.58), Azure Backup ($119.69), and 10 Windows Enterprise E3 VDA licenses for the public desktop accounts ($170.40)
Five-year cost$139,156.90$124,209.80$197,328.50$120,667.90

Installation and migration are billed for time and materials at the rates in the City's IT services agreement, up to the not-to-exceed amount shown. The on-site options also use rack space and battery backup already in the network plan.

Workloads and sizing

Vicinity sized the replacement from current disk use with 25 percent growth, and gave every Windows Server system at least 16 GB of memory.

SystemOperating systemvCPUMemoryDiskNotes
Domain controllerWindows Server 2025 (new build)216 GB160 GBReplaces the 2016 domain controller. Directory, DNS, DHCP, and file replication
File and application serverWindows Server 2025 (rebuilt)416 GB700 GBRebuilt from Windows Server 2016, which reaches end of support January 12, 2027
Library management PCWindows 1128 GB135 GBUpgraded from Windows 10, which reached end of support in October 2025

On site, the host needs 56 GB including 16 GB reserved for the host today, and about 70 GB with growth. Microsoft licenses Windows Server Standard by core with a 16-core minimum, so one 16-core license covers both Windows Server systems on the library server in options 1, 2, and 2A. Each staff computer that uses the servers also needs a Windows Server client access license. In option 2A, the desktop server's 64 cores are licensed separately, and each public seat needs a client access license and a Remote Desktop Services device license. In Azure, Windows Server licensing and access are part of the monthly price, and each public desktop account needs a Windows Enterprise E3 VDA license.

Backup and recovery

On-site options: Datto SIRIS 6

A Datto SIRIS 6 appliance backs up the server systems under Vicinity's backup and disaster recovery service. In option 2A, the same appliance also backs up the desktop server. The appliance keeps image backups on site and replicates them to an off-site data center, tests that each backup boots, and scans for signs of ransomware. If the server fails, the appliance can run the library's systems itself while the hardware is repaired. Default retention is one year of daily backups, and backups can run as often as every 10 minutes. The service is billed monthly on a 36-month term.

Azure: Azure Backup

Azure Backup takes daily backups of the three servers and keeps them in a geo-redundant vault in a second Azure region. Restores run inside Azure, so there is no appliance at the library. The estimate covers 30 days of daily backups and 12 monthly backups.

Move plan

Network live before the doors open

The timeline works backward from a Q3 2027 opening, the current estimate from H5 Construction. Server and network lead times are set by the manufacturers at the time of order.

  1. Q4 2026Scope approvedThe City approves the server and network scope so equipment can be ordered at current pricing.
  2. Q4 2026 to Q1 2027Server replaced at the current libraryVicinity moves the domain controller, file server, and library management PC onto the option the City chooses, either Azure or a new server at the Arctic Avenue library, before Windows Server 2016 support ends January 12, 2027. The 2018 server retires before the move.
  3. Q1 2027Internet ordered for the new buildingThe City orders MTA service at 655 S Valley Way. Fiber construction to a new building can take 90 to 180 days.
  4. Q2 2027Network staged offsiteVicinity configures the firewall, switches, and access points on the bench, including the encrypted tunnel to City Hall and the separate staff, public, and building networks.
  5. Q2 2027, 4 to 6 weeks before openingNetwork live in the buildingVicinity installs the rack equipment, patches the contractor's cabling, mounts the access points, and tunes Wi-Fi coverage room by room.
  6. Q3 2027, openingLibrary moves inWith an on-site server, it moves to the new rack. With Azure, the library's systems are already running in the cloud. Staff and public computers connect, and online database vendors receive the library's new public IP address.

Working together

What this plan depends on

This plan rests on a few things outside Vicinity’s scope. Where one turns out differently, Vicinity raises it before work continues and adjusts the scope and price in writing.

  • The construction contractor delivers the cabling, the network rack, and rack power. The contractor or City maintenance mounts the Starlink dish.
  • MTA internet is available at 655 S Valley Way, and the City orders it. Starlink is the backup.
  • Analog phone, fire alarm, and elevator lines move to Granite EPIK.
  • If the City files for E-rate, its schedule sets the network purchase date.

Assumptions

  • Structured cabling. The construction contractor delivers a complete low-voltage cabling system that terminates on labeled patch panels in a rack in the building's main network room (MDF). The rack is a four-post, square-hole rack deep enough for a 1U server.
  • Rack power. The electrical design includes a dedicated 20 A circuit with a NEMA 5-20R receptacle at each rack location.
  • Internet service. MTA business internet is available at 655 S Valley Way. The City orders the circuit and shares the handoff details with Vicinity before cutover. With the Azure server option, the library's file shares and sign-in also run over this connection.
  • Backup internet. The construction contractor or the City's maintenance department physically installs the Starlink dish on a pipe mount on the roof or an exterior wall with a clear view of the sky, and runs its cable to the network room. Vicinity supplies the kit, connects it to the FortiGate, and sets up the failover.
  • Online databases. The new circuit brings a new public IP address. Vicinity provides the list of vendors that recognize the library by IP address, including Comics Plus, Newsbank, and the EZproxy configuration, and helps the library update them before opening.
  • Content filtering. Library staff decide the filtering policy for the public network.
  • Analog lines. MTA has given notice that it is discontinuing the City's 2-wire and 4-wire voice circuits (March 2026), so the new building gets no traditional analog phone lines. The lobby analog phone, and any fire alarm or elevator line that needs one, connect through a Granite EPIK POTS-replacement unit in the network room. Unlike copper lines, EPIK depends on power from the network room UPS and on a working internet connection (the library's connection, then its own LTE backup). The construction contractor runs the analog cable from the network room to each of those devices. EIC Engineers and the alarm and elevator vendors confirm the number of lines each device needs.
  • Phones. The library's regular phone numbers and handsets stay with the City's current phone provider and are outside this proposal.
  • E-rate. The network equipment qualifies for E-rate Category 2 funding. If the City files for it, the purchase follows the E-rate competitive bidding schedule, with the FY2027 filing window opening around January 2027.

Investment

The numbers, in one place

$62,146.00building network, one-time and first-year costs
$1,651.67a month for the recommended Azure servers, with licensing and backup
$120,667.90five-year cost of the recommended Azure option with public computers and installation, the lowest of the four

Items marked as pricing in progress will be added to the formal proposals.

Network and building costs

One-time and first-year costs
ItemAmount
Building network hardware (firewall with first-year security services, switches, access points, 10 Gbps modules)$37,669.58
Network support and cloud logging subscriptions, 1 year$4,210.76
Rack power (4 APC Smart-UPS SRT 1500 VA with network cards and mounting kits, 4 rack PDUs)$12,056.76
Backup internet equipment (Starlink Performance Kit with pipe adapter, shipping)$2,248.90
Installation supplies (patch cables, labels, and other materials)$500.00
Network installation, not to exceed: 28 hours of network engineering at $195 (8 telco coordination, 4 firewall, 4 switches and battery backups, 12 for 24 access points), time and materials$5,460.00
Total$62,146.00
Monthly services
ItemPer month
Backup internet service (Starlink Business Local Priority, 1 TB)$280.00
Analog line replacement (Granite EPIK), per line, 36-month termPricing in progress

Server options

OptionUpfrontPublic computersInstallationPer yearPer monthFive-year cost
Option 1: Dell PowerEdge R360$42,438.30$23,783.60$3,525.00$622.00$1,105.00$139,156.90
Option 2: Supermicro server (Thinkmate)$27,491.20$23,783.60$3,525.00$622.00$1,105.00$124,209.80
Option 2A: Supermicro servers with on-site virtual desktops$91,750.80$17,442.70$7,125.00$2,942.00$1,105.00$197,328.50
Option 3: Microsoft Azure (recommended)$0.00$17,442.70$4,125.00$0.00$1,651.67$120,667.90

The Server section has the full breakdown of each option.

Pricing notes

  • Fortinet pricing reflects a registered deal and is 37.8 percent below Fortinet's published list price for the same equipment ($67,339.40).
  • Fortinet support, security services, and the Windows Server subscription renew yearly.
  • Monthly services start at installation and bill under the City's managed services agreement.
  • Five-year server costs hold today's prices flat for all five years, including the Windows Server subscription, the Datto service after its 36-month term, and the Azure reserved instances after their 3-year term.
  • Sales tax is not included.
  • Freight to Palmer and any tariff changes are added once the vendors confirm them. Starlink shipping is included.
  • Installation and migration are billed for time and materials at the rates in the City's IT services agreement, up to the not-to-exceed amount in each proposal.
  • Zero client prices are CDW's advertised price and may come down once Vicinity's distributors quote them.

Next steps

Two steps to approve the plan

The City approves the work in two steps. Each proposal can be downloaded as a PDF, and signed electronically through Docusign.

Approve the building network

The building network is the same in every server option, so the City approves it first.

Network hardware and installation

FortiGate firewall, four FortiSwitches, 24 FortiAP Wi-Fi 7 access points, battery backup and rack power, patch cabling, Starlink backup internet, and installation.

Download PDF Sign with Docusign

Docusign link coming soon.

Choose a server option

Each option covers the library's servers, public computers, checkout laptops, licensing, backup, and moving the library's systems. The City signs the one it chooses.

Option 1

Dell PowerEdge R360 on site

Dell server in the network room, Windows Server 2025 licensing, Datto SIRIS backup, 10 Dell Pro Micro public computers with 27-inch monitors, 5 Dell Pro 14 checkout laptops, the build, and the migration.

$139,156.90 five-year cost

Download PDF Sign with Docusign

Docusign link coming soon.

Option 2

Supermicro server on site

Supermicro server with a 5-year warranty in the network room, Windows Server 2025 licensing, Datto SIRIS backup, 10 Dell Pro Micro public computers with 27-inch monitors, 5 Dell Pro 14 checkout laptops, the build, and the migration.

$124,209.80 five-year cost

Download PDF Sign with Docusign

Docusign link coming soon.

Option 2A

Supermicro servers with on-site virtual desktops

Option 2's server plus a second Supermicro server running Remote Desktop Services, Windows Server 2025 and Remote Desktop licensing, Datto SIRIS backup for both servers, 10 10ZiG zero clients with 27-inch monitors, 5 Dell Pro 14 checkout laptops, the build, and the migration.

$197,328.50 five-year cost

Download PDF Sign with Docusign

Docusign link coming soon.

Option 3Recommended

Microsoft Azure

Servers in Microsoft Azure with Windows Server licensing and Azure Backup, 10 virtual desktops on 10ZiG zero clients with 27-inch monitors, 5 Dell Pro 14 checkout laptops, and the migration.

$120,667.90 five-year cost

Download PDF Sign with Docusign

Docusign link coming soon.