Fiji’s Elections Office Upgrades Tech for Trustworthy Elections

The Fijian Elections Office (FEO) has recently completed a pivotal Server Infrastructure Upgrade Project, significantly enhancing its Information Communication Technology (ICT) framework. This project aims to improve the security and efficiency of election management services across Fiji. Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa, noted that the successful upgrade indicates a strong commitment to utilizing advanced technology to bolster operational effectiveness.

Mataiciwa emphasized that the revamped infrastructure will enable the FEO to deliver a more reliable and secure electoral service to the citizens of Fiji. The project directly addressed previous challenges related to limited storage and outdated hardware, particularly within the VMware Clusters. These constraints had previously hampered the FEO’s ability to manage new virtual machines and scale workloads effectively.

The implementation of a robust Nutanix Cluster, along with upgraded VMware components and optimized Veeam data protection, has resulted in enhanced disaster recovery, improved data integrity, and elevated system performance. The project also promises various benefits, including financial gains through increased Service Level Agreements, stronger business continuity measures, and heightened operational efficiency that will help ensure compliance and bolster audit capabilities.

Partnership with VirtualFlex facilitated the modernization of FEO’s Data Center, allowing for the migration of all physical and virtual servers to a Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI) environment. This move ensures improved storage capacity and system resilience, positioning the FEO to better support electoral processes and manage future challenges.

This initiative is a hopeful stride towards a more transparent and trustworthy electoral system in Fiji. As the nation prepares for upcoming elections, advancements such as these are vital for reinforcing public confidence in the electoral framework. The proactive steps taken by the FEO, in light of previous electoral challenges, reflect an ongoing effort toward improvement and reliability in Fiji’s democratic processes.