How a Connecticut Municipality Modernized IT and Saved $200K Annually

Organization: Mid-sized Connecticut Municipality (40,000 residents)
Challenge: Aging infrastructure, security concerns, budget constraints
Result: Modern systems, enhanced security, $200K annual savings

The Situation: Held Hostage by Legacy Systems

When Town Administrator Patricia Walsh took office, she inherited an IT environment that had evolved organically over decades—without a coherent strategy.

"We had servers from three different decades," Walsh recalls. "Some systems were so old that the people who built them had retired. Nobody fully understood how everything connected."

The problems were mounting:

• Aging infrastructure: Average server age was 9 years; some were 15+ years old
• Security vulnerabilities: Systems couldn't run current security software
• Knowledge gaps: Institutional knowledge walked out the door with retirees
• Vendor lock-in: Some systems had no alternatives and commanded premium support fees
• Compliance concerns: CJIS, PCI, and state requirements increasingly difficult to meet
• No disaster recovery: A single fire could have destroyed irreplaceable data

"The IT director position had been vacant for 18 months," Walsh explains. "We'd been limping along with break-fix support, but we needed a comprehensive solution."

The Breaking Point: A Wake-Up Call

The catalyst came when a neighboring town was hit with ransomware. Services were disrupted for weeks. The recovery cost exceeded $2 million.

"That could have been us," Walsh says. "Easily. We had the same vulnerabilities. We just hadn't been targeted yet."

The Town Council approved funding for a comprehensive IT assessment and modernization initiative.

The Assessment: Understanding the Full Picture

We began with a thorough assessment of the municipality's technology environment.

Infrastructure Inventory

Servers: 23 physical servers across multiple locations

• Average age: 9 years
• 4 servers running unsupported operating systems
• No virtualization or consolidation
• Backup systems: Tape-based, never tested

Network: Fragmented and inconsistent

• Multiple generations of equipment
• No network segmentation
• Inadequate documentation
• No centralized management

Applications: Mix of modern and ancient

• 47 different applications in use
• Several running on unsupported platforms
• Limited integration between systems
• No single sign-on

Security Assessment

Critical findings:

• No multi-factor authentication anywhere
• 12 administrator accounts with no recent password changes
• 4 systems with unpatched critical vulnerabilities
• No endpoint detection capability
• Firewall rules hadn't been reviewed in 5 years

Compliance Gaps

CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Services):

• Multiple policy deficiencies
• Technical controls insufficient
• Audit looming in 6 months

PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry):

• Payment systems not properly segmented
• Encryption gaps identified

Cost Analysis

Current annual IT spending:

• Break-fix support: $180,000
• Software licensing: $95,000
• Hardware maintenance: $45,000
• Vendor support contracts: $120,000
• Emergency repairs: ~$50,000
• Total: ~$490,000

The Strategy: Modernize and Optimize

We developed a three-phase modernization plan designed to improve security and capabilities while reducing costs.

Phase 1: Stabilization (Months 1-3)

Immediate security improvements:

• Deployed MFA on critical systems
• Patched all critical vulnerabilities
• Implemented modern endpoint protection
• Conducted security awareness training

Network improvements:

• Replaced end-of-life network equipment
• Implemented network segmentation
• Deployed proper firewall with modern policies
• Established network monitoring

Backup modernization:

• Implemented modern backup solution
• Established air-gapped backup copy
• Tested recovery procedures (first time ever for some systems)
• Documented disaster recovery procedures

Phase 2: Consolidation (Months 4-9)

Server virtualization:

• Consolidated 23 physical servers to 4 hosts
• Implemented proper virtualization platform
• Reduced power, cooling, and maintenance costs
• Enabled easier backup and recovery

Application rationalization:

• Identified redundant applications
• Migrated several applications to cloud alternatives
• Eliminated 12 applications through consolidation
• Standardized on modern platforms where possible

Cloud migration (appropriate workloads):

• Email migrated to Microsoft 365
• Document management moved to SharePoint
• Collaboration tools standardized
• Reduced on-premises infrastructure burden

Phase 3: Optimization (Months 10-12)

Managed services transition:

• Eliminated need for full-time IT director position
• Implemented managed services model with dedicated team
• 24/7 monitoring and support coverage
• Predictable monthly costs

Compliance achievement:

• CJIS audit passed with no findings
• PCI compliance achieved
• Documentation complete and maintained

Process improvements:

• Standardized help desk procedures
• Implemented change management
• Established regular security reviews
• Created technology roadmap

The Results: Better Service, Lower Costs

Cost Comparison

Net annual savings: $206,000 (42% reduction)

Service Improvements

Intangible Benefits

• Staff satisfaction: Modern tools replaced frustrating legacy systems
• Citizen services: Faster, more reliable service delivery
• Council confidence: Regular reporting and clear metrics
• Reduced risk: Ransomware, compliance fines, data loss

Key Success Factors

1. Executive Sponsorship

"I was involved in every major decision," Walsh notes. "This wasn't delegated to IT—it was a town priority."

2. Realistic Timeline

"Twelve months felt long, but trying to do it faster would have been disruptive. The phased approach let us maintain services while transforming."

3. Change Management

"We communicated constantly with staff. They knew what was changing and why. That prevented resistance."

4. Right Partner

"We needed someone who understood government—procurement rules, budget cycles, compliance requirements. Generic IT consulting wouldn't have worked."

Is Your Municipality Ready to Modernize?

Aging infrastructure isn't just a budget problem—it's a security risk, a compliance liability, and a barrier to serving citizens effectively. But modernization doesn't have to be disruptive or expensive.

Layth Solutions has been supporting public sector organizations in the Northeast for 30 years. We understand government procurement, budget constraints, compliance requirements, and the unique challenges of serving the public.

Request a confidential infrastructure assessment to understand your current state and develop a practical modernization roadmap.