The city of Tyler is preparing to move its IT department into a purpose-built facility designed to protect municipal systems, accommodate expanding infrastructure and support emergency operations.
The department has operated from the third floor of Tyler City Hall for more than 25 years, according to KLTV. City officials said the current location has reached its physical and technical capacity as Tyler’s technology environment has expanded.
Tyler Chief Information Officer Benny Yazdanpanahi said the city’s infrastructure has grown from two computers and two servers when he began working for the city in 2001 to more than 440 servers, along with switches and other equipment. Officials also raised concerns about whether the building could continue supporting the weight of that hardware.
Cooling capacity is another limitation. The existing server room, which KLTV described as about half the size of a standard office, receives 20 tons of air conditioning and cannot accommodate additional cooling.
The new ground-floor facility will house Tyler’s network, cybersecurity operations, telephone systems, servers and backup equipment. Its location and design are also intended to better protect the city’s systems during severe weather, including tornadoes.
The building will include a new generator and backup power systems intended to keep first responders and municipal services online during a disaster. Before transferring equipment, IT employees are conducting system and sustainability checks to avoid interruptions to public safety and other city operations.
Tyler’s IT Department supports each municipal department, maintains city websites and manages cybersecurity. It also provides IT services to the city of Whitehouse and manages server infrastructure used for local 911 operations. Other technology-supported services include emergency dispatch and online water bill payments.
Officials expect the transition to begin within the next few months and plan to complete the move before the end of 2026.
