Cybernet and Winnebago County Courthouse:
Keeping the Wheels of Justice Turning
The Winnebago County Courthouse needed to find a better PC solution for their busy offices and courtrooms – to free up space while having adequate computing power to handle the mass of information that is processed in the busy court on a daily basis. After their research and testing, they settled on Cybernet’s ZPC-GX31. It has performed beautifully, and has enabled the court to become more efficient at conducting their daily business.
The Customer
The Winnebago County Courthouse in Rockford, Illinois, is part of the 17th judicial circuit court district in the state, and is quite hectic. Their CIO has a challenging job to keep up with the IT demands required to keep the courts running. There seems to be no letup. Day after day, new cases pile onto the mountain of cases already assigned to the busy courthouse. Clerks work tirelessly to manage this daunting volume of information, relying on muscular computers to keep the wheels of justice turning with the proper momentum. More muscle, however, typically means more bulk. In an overcrowded courthouse, bulky computers often can stand in the way of justice.
The Business ChallengeGus Gentner resolved to do something about this irritating injustice to the justice system. Gus is the Chief Information Officer for Winnebago County, Illinois. Faced with the challenging task of bringing more order to his county's courthouse, he set out to find and implement a computing system that would prove a capable space- saver. Gus was more than pleased when his search led him to
Cybernet's renowned lineup of PCs.
The Cybernet SolutionEncouraged by the possibilities, the county's information management team deployed an initial order of
Cybernet PCs throughout the courts and county clerk's office. Selected for their space saving compactness, the new units replaced the fleet of bulky towers that were taking up valuable real estate in both the courts and the pay stations of the county clerk's office.
Gus recalls that the
Cybernet models fit perfectly into the county's obsolescence plan. This strategy called for getting a minimum of 36 months usage out of a notebook or desktop PC. In addition, the plan required a minimum of 60 months on a server. With these time lines established, Gus and his team began the process of finding upgrade systems well in advance. Implementation of a suitably compact all-in-one model became their overriding goal. The county initially ordered the
ZPC-GX31 model with an LCD monitor but later added an
i-One unit to the mix.
The county's decision to make
Cybernet the county computer is the result of an intensive internal evaluation. During this month-long process, the IT staff tested a number of models from such manufacturers as Dell and HP.
Cybernet delivered several demo models, which were left running 24/7. The units were subjected to rigorous testing in both the courts and the offices of the county clerk. Demonstrating unmatched muscle, user-friendliness and the clear advantage of compactness, the
Cybernet models emerged as the obvious choice.
Key ResultsRequiring a minimum of peripheral devices, the computers are connected to a network utilizing shared printers. The units are living up to their reputation for versatility, having been deployed successfully on the judge's bench, in the county clerk's office and in the office where traffic citations are paid. Despite the special role of these computers, however, they operate just like any other PCs. No special steps are needed.
Compared to the county's previous systems, the
Cybernet models are a welcome relief. Before their timely arrival, the staff had to contend with bulky towers that hogged valuable desktop space. Judges, clerks and other members of the county team show a clear- cut preference for the smaller footprint that the sleek
Cybernet PCs leave in their workspace.
According to Gus,
Cybernet does much more than manufacture an unmatched computer. The company firmly stands behind its product. In a nutshell,
Cybernet offers superlative post-sale service.
For judges, clerks and other Winnebago County personnel,
Cybernet's noteworthy PCs have provided a means of streamlining the intricate process of managing information in a busy county courthouse. As this group sees it, there simply is no contest when these ultra- compact, powerhouse performers are on the job.
