Review of ICT Infrastructure in the Public Sector in Scotland

3 Introduction

There is no doubt that the development of information and communications technology has been to the 20th, and the early part of this century, as significant a breakthrough as the steam engine, internal combustion engine and other advances in engineering and science were in the past. In the same way as these historical developments drove large-scale efficiencies, shaped economies and changed lives, the same effects have arisen from the inexorable progress made in the design, manufacture and application of technology available to process, manage and communicate digital information in all its forms and through many different types of networks, media, equipment and devices.

A question often raised is how much further will these technologies take us and will we continue to see order of magnitude strides over time? Evidence would indicate that there will be no limit in the foreseeable future to the "raw power" that technology can deliver. Enhancements in miniaturisation, processing and communication speeds and storage density improvements will continue.

This report deals with the subject of how this powerful capability is being adopted, deployed and used in practical ways in the public sector in Scotland.