Helping Queensland flood relief operations
As we monitor the current and potential impacts of the Queensland floods, Microsoft Australia is undertaking a number of steps to help address relief efforts.
One of the most productive ways in which we have been able to assist first responder organisations and affected local governments during disasters is to provide an ICT consultant. The role of the consultant is to help IT staff in supporting those coordinating the response.
For example, during the Iowa floods and the Victorian bushfires, Microsoft provided a subject matter expert in information and communication technology to be on-site.
Microsoft Australia has provided specialist consultants to aid in the establishment of systems to support the Queensland Flood Recovery Operations Group (QFROG) working in close partnership with the Department of Community Safety and Department of Public Works.
We are also providing businesses and individuals access to our Azure cloud platform for back-up of mission-critical data.
The approach is simple. Backing up files to a local virtual hard disk and uploading those files into Windows Azure storage. Accounts only last for 30 days with no service level agreement attached.
When large scale disasters strike, there is often a need for additional software licenses to cover an influx of users. There may also be requirements to set up temporary coordination facilities that need computers and software. We have a specific temporary license program that allows first responder organisations, governments, and NGOs to use software temporarily while responding to and recovering from a disaster. Qualified organisations may temporarily deploy and install any Select Product on, or access any Select Product from, any device, provided that each such device is being used pursuant to a recovery, rescue, or other effort directly related to the disaster.
For example, during the Victorian Bushfires, Microsoft provided Virtual Earth temporary licensing to support the Victorian Police department with search and rescue efforts.
Through the Microsoft Online Service platform we can quickly set up core services (email and on-line collaboration) running in Microsoft’s data centers located world-wide. Within hours core services can therefore be back up and running until the server rooms have been fixed.
We are working with Department of Public Works and Queensland Flood Recovery Operations Group to supply a remote meeting capability using Microsoft Online Services for real time collaboration across agencies including desktop online conferencing (video, shared screens, etc) and presence/Instant Messaging capabilities.
We have also started discussions with other Queensland Government agencies to use the processing capacity of Bing Maps and our other Cloud Services with their data to provide a cloud scale platform for their externally facing web properties.
Microsoft Australia has directly donated to the Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal and will be matching full time staff donations to the following approved funds through January: The Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal; Australian Red Cross; and RSPCA.
We also have a partnership with Foodbank and have established a non-perishable food drive with our staff, and donating X-Box Kinects to the Australian Red Cross Brisbane centres.
Donortec, a technology donation organisation focusing on non-profit organisation and Microsoft partner, have agreed to waive any administration fees associated with assisting non-profit organisations affected by the flood.
We are also working with various organisations to help with volunteering in the recovery effort.
Our thoughts remain with the flood victims, and to continue to support relief efforts.
Patrick Pathinathan, Queensland State Director