SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – January 4, 2006 – Network Hardware Resale today announced that it has donated Cisco networking equipment valued at more than $100,000 to the City of Biloxi Department of Administration. This equipment will help Biloxi’s information systems division restore critical information technology infrastructure destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
“Many people don’t realize that Biloxi is still removing debris, struggling with frequent power outages, and coping with crippled infrastructure,” said John Sheldon, Network Hardware Resale co-founder and director with the company’s board of directors. “These areas will require long-term support to recover, and we are pleased to be in a position to help meet some of Biloxi’s continuing needs.”
Network Hardware Resale’s donation includes Cisco switches, power supplies and other networking equipment that will help the City of Biloxi stabilize its network which was extensively damaged when Hurricane Katrina came ashore on August 29. The city’s network allows vital information such as police records, city financial and purchasing data, and permit records to be accessed by city agencies, including fire and police departments.
“After the hurricane, we salvaged all the equipment we could, moved our IT operations into a dry auditorium, and implemented every temporary fix imaginable to keep our critical information systems running,” said Randy Manning, information systems manager for the City of Biloxi. “We are extremely grateful for this equipment. It will give us the redundancy and stability we need to finally stop the cycle of constantly reacting to problems and start to really manage our network again.”
The donation was facilitated by the City of Santa Barbara which has “adopted” Biloxi through an outreach program conceived by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
“This program has been a wonderful way to focus our efforts and support Biloxi in its continuing recovery,” said Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum. “We’re extremely proud to have generous local companies like Network Hardware Resale stepping forward to donate valuable computer equipment to the City of Biloxi.”
In September, Network Hardware Resale also donated $40,000 to relief organizations to help provide emergency supplies and services to hurricane victims.
