1. The core business of B2 Unit is
To provide coherent IT services in the domain of infrastructure management
To develop and maintain statistical and administrative information systems
To provide a architectural framework

2. Unit B2 Services Infrastructure Support IT co-ordination
managing computer equipment
administering the office-automation platform
managing the servers and network
conducting infrastructure-development projects
ensuring security and reliability
Support
assisting the user
maintaining the statistical information systems
developing new systems / co-ordinating developments
IT co-ordination
drawing up the IT master plan
managing informatics budgetary resources
training
Co-ordination within the European Statistical System
organising an ITDG Committee with NSI

3. Information systems environment
Quantitative issues
3 groups, 12 families (many applications inside..)
the Data Life Cycle approach
The projects organisational framework
- the project manager
- project owner (usually a Director=sponsor)
-the system supplier
Long term financial implications

4. Challenges and opportunities
Application olderness and moving technical environment
Free dissemination, metadata handling, New Cronos modernisation, publishing tools
Internalisation of major applications
The new architecture deployment and the Internal Reference
New Data collection systems
External Trade Information Systems renovation (Xtnet and Edicom II)