Our IT services are made up of the following building blocks:

Well-designed IT infrastructure should include all of the building blocks described below. The relative importance of each building block will differ between different businesses, but ignoring any particular building block may leave your business vulnerable.

Processing (computing)

Processing needs will differ according to the nature and size of your business. For smaller companies, the processing power of workstations (desktop PCs or laptops) may be sufficient, while larger firms may require more powerful on-premise servers. Certain businesses may also require variable processing power (e.g. to cater for large projects or busy times) and may need to enhance on-premise resources by extending to cloud-based computing temporarily. We offer a selection of workstations, servers and cloud-based computing and can combine these according to your needs. Equipment is set up to work within your existing environment and can be purchased or leased.

Storage

Storage needs will also vary according to the nature and size of your business. For example:

Content marketing businesses may need more storage space to accommodate large video files and could benefit from using a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device.

    • Financial services businesses may need less storage space, but have a greater need for security in order to comply with regulation, and would therefore use a file server with strict access control.
    • Smaller businesses or virtual offices may prefer cloud-based storage with secure file sharing.

Network Accessories

We offer a selection of network accessories to suit the size of your business. These include:

      • Switches – devices that connect different workstations, servers, printers and other components of a network.
      • Premium cabling
      • Server boxes – a safe environment to store your server and other network accessories
      • Printers
      • Uninterrupted Power Supplies (UPS)

Networks are set up to work with existing infrastructure and can be purchased or leased

Backups and business disaster recovery

We offer cloud-based backups for workstations (laptops and desktop pc); as well as onsite and offsite backups for servers and NAS devices. For onsite backups, you have the option of purchasing the equipment upfront or leasing it on a monthly basis. Offsite backups are hosted in a secure data centre in a different geographical location. A manual backup system using tapes or external hard drives is available for businesses with an exceptionally large amount of data and/or slow internet speeds. We realise that Business Disaster Recovery is about more than just IT, which is why we include a free comprehensive Business Recovery Plan for your business.

Communication

Reliable and flexible communication options are important to any business and include the following:

Voice over IP (VOIP) as a cost-effective alternative to fixed-line phones.

    • Enterprise-grade access points – devices that provide a Wifi connection in your office
    • Corporate instant messaging
    • Online video conferencing
    • Exchange email

Software

We also provide the software needed to run your business, for example:

  • Operating systems and licences for servers and desktop PCs.
    • Software to manage backups and ensure the most efficient use of storage space
    • Office 365

Support

Our monthly monitoring and maintenance packages are designed to give you peace of mind that all of your IT concerns are taken care of.

    • Servers, workstations and other devices are monitored to ensure that software (including operating systems, antivirus and other third party software) is up to date to prevent issues.
    • Hardware is monitored to pick up potential faults before they occur, e.g. a hard drive can be replaced before it fails.
    • Backups are monitored to ensure that they run as scheduled. The all-inclusive package includes regular testing of backups.
    • Resources like storage space and processing power are monitored to identify any potential shortages, allowing resource allocation to be optimised.
    • Processes specific to your network and systems (for example, network diagrams and how to maintain them) are well documented to eliminate technician keyman risk, ensuring continuity and consistency of the service provided.
    • Important information regarding your network is stored safely, but is accessible when needed. This includes passwords, product keys for software and decryption keys.
    • Asset lists are kept up to date and reported to you monthly.
    • We manage third party relationships on your behalf and ensure that issues are resolved.
    • Our standard package includes a limited number of support hours per month, whereas the all-inclusive package includes all you can eat support. This includes onsite and remote support, within guaranteed response times. On the standard package, additional ad hoc support can be purchased separately, charged at an hourly rate. (Note that IT projects, e.g. new server setups will be quoted and charged separately from the maintenance of existing infrastructure.)

Security

We will make sure that your network and data is secure by recommending/implementing an appropriate selection of the following tools:

    • Unified Threat Management Devices (UTMs) – which can also be described as intelligent Firewalls, your network’s first line of defence against viruses or cyberattacks
    • Antivirus software
    • Secure file sharing
    • Data encryption
    • Locate and wipe service for mobile devices if they get lost or stolen
    • Single sign-on and access control