OPEN ANSWERS LIMITED

MiPaaS - Managed Integration Software as a Service

MiPaaS is a service offering and repeatable delivery approach to provide integration services in any cloud. To leverage the capabilities of iPaaS and cloud-based ESB/API platforms we provide capabilities that ensure a successful cloud implementation: Architecture, Best Practice Design, Setup, Customisation, Continuous Integration, Security, Monitoring, Operations and Support.

Features

• Integration platform design/implementation best practice guidance from experts
• Highly experienced in open source and proprietary integration technologies
• Bundled framework of tools and utilities to accelerate delivery
• MuleSoft Anypoint (CloudHub/Mule), JBoss Fuse Camel, Azure/AWS Integration Services
• Apache ActiveMQ Messaging provider, AnypointMQ, CloudAMQP message queues
• Ongoing, support, monitoring, management, maintenance of platform and integration apps
• Authorised partner: MuleSoft, Red Hat
• Standards-based API Design and implementation (REST/RAML SOAP/WSDL)
• Customisation and engineering to support cloud implementation

Benefits

• Fully managed cloud integration platforms from test to production
• Accelerated delivery through repeatable, proven solutions and automation
• Unconstrained cloud choice (e.g. managed Mule workers in Azure)
• High service levels through proactive monitoring and responsive support
• Knowledge transfer to in-house integration development/support teams
• Deliver cloud integration for 'OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE' data
• Support with SLA, service management reporting, capacity management

• Free trial available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at ian.bellia@openanswers.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

111089985482095

Contact

Ian Bellia
020 88646999
ian.bellia@openanswers.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  Application Development and Deployment

  Data management

  Data integration and intelligence

  • Data Ingestion and Transformation Software
  • Dynamic Data Movement Software
  • Data Access Infrastructure Software
• Multi cloud support: Yes

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model:
  • Public cloud
  • Private cloud
  • Hybrid cloud
• Service constraints: Globally available with 99.99% uptime SLAs
• System requirements:
  • System requirements will be dependent on the customers application stack.
  • Following a discovery exercise a requirements definition will be agreed.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Standard response time is within 1 hour. Weekend support can be added if required.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: Yes
• Web chat support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the web chat support is accessible: Through the use of Internet accessible secure IM platforms such as Slack, Teams or Whatsapp, closed collaboration groups can be initiated for interaction with customer and support groups. Bespoke Chat servers can also be deployed and supported inside an elevated security zone where required.
• Web chat accessibility testing: We have not undertaken any local accessibility testing on the above IM platforms currently utilised.
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: We provide a range of different support types :- Service desk Email Phone Live chat Onsite Our standard support hours are 6am to Midnight, 7 days a week (18x7). 24/7 support is available on request. We provide a technical support account management function and can be responsible for engaging third party support activities and managing escalation processes. Due to the diverse and complex nature of the support provided which can any or all of the full technology stack deployed (Cloud, Network, OS, Database, Middleware, Application) costs are calculated using a model that the customer completes and mutually agreed, based on expected volumes.
• Support available to third parties: Yes
• AI chatbot: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Open Answers uses a repeatable approach to planning a successful integration platform implementation. Planning services may typically include the following phases: 1. Preparation/scoping. 2. Discovery. Workshops covering i) an assessment of the customer's current capabilities, team structure, project backlog, governance and security; ii) technology assessment reviewing architecture goals, systems/data landscape, technology and connectivity inventory; iii) business objectives and value identification. 3. Requirements/Solution Development. Templated approach to requirements gathering; Preparation of integration technology architecture proposal, best practices definition tailored to customers environment, proof of concepts. 4. Future Plan. Preparation of an implementation plan: milestones, costs and resources required for delivery.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats: HTML
• End-of-contract data extraction: Any data "at rest" (for example, residing in queues or the object store) must be extracted before the contract period ends.
• End-of-contract process: At the end of the contract a decommissioning exercise will be discussed and agreed with the customer.
• Documentation accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the documentation is accessible: Accessible documentation will be provided.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: No
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: None or don’t know
• API: No
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Following an initial discovery exercise the customer and supplier will determine customisation required to meet the outcomes desired.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Standard cloud scaling approaches will be employed to accommodate the business requirements.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Metrics types CPU, HTTP request and response status, Memory, Number of active instances
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
• Resource tagging: Yes
• FOCUS resource tagging: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Reseller providing extra features and support
• Organisation whose services are being resold: SalesForce, RedHat

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Security Clearance (SC)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom
• User control over data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 4.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
  • Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: No
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Data can be exported in a wide range of industry standard formats as required to suit the business requirement.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • ODF
  • Other
• Other data export formats: Many industry standard data formats are available
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • ODF
  • Other
• Other data import formats: Many industry standard data formats are available

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Depending on the cloud provider selected by the customer the associated SLA's are publicly available. For example AWS https://aws.amazon.com/legal/service-level-agreements/
• Approach to resilience: Available upon request and under NDA
• Outage reporting: Public status pages are available for the Public Cloud providers.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: The Anypoint platform implements role-based access controls and custom permissions.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• How long system logs are stored for: User-defined

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: ISO/IEC 27001
• Information security policies and processes: Our processes are in accordance with our ISO 27001 certification. MuleSoft’s dedicated security team follows industry best practices, runs internal security audits and maintains policies that span operations, data security, passwords and credentials, and secure connectivity. As all our cloud services are built on the AWS platform, we rely on Amazon’s leading physical and network security. MuleSoft also enforces operation controls based on industry standard best practices for public cloud services, including, but not limited to: • Principle of least privileged access • Role based access controls • Data security (not storing sensitive data, encrypting data at rest, and more) • Regular audits • Customer advisories and established escalation processes • Penetration testing
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Configuration and change management approach: MuleSoft uses a secure software development lifecycle (SDLC) methodology and standards. An SDLC document is available upon request and under NDA.
• Vulnerability management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: Available upon request and under NDA.
• Protective monitoring type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: Available upon request and under NDA.
• Incident management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v4.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Incident management approach: Available upon request and under NDA.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: A 30-day trial version of the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is available for anyone to sign up to.
• Link to free trial: https://www.mulesoft.com/

Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)

• Less than £250,000: 0%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 5%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 10%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 15%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 20%
• Over £5,000,001: 25%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: UKAS
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Tuesday 10 December 2024
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Nothing. The scope is the whole company.; Scope of Registration:; Information security management for the provision of IT support, software integration and; software development services in accordance to SoA Version v1.0
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: No
• Cyber Essentials Alternative: In relation to the services you do not have a current and valid Cyber Essentials certificate which has been awarded by one of the government approved Cyber Essentials accreditation bodies but you are working towards gaining it, and will be in a position to confirm that you have been awarded a current and valid Cyber Essentials certificate by one of the government approved accreditation bodies within 12 months of the date of award.
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Cyber Essentials Alternative: In relation to the services you do not have a current and valid Cyber Essentials Plus certificate which has been awarded by one of the government approved Cyber Essentials accreditation bodies but you are working towards gaining it, and will be in a position to confirm that you have been awarded a current and valid Cyber Essentials Plus certificate by one of the government approved accreditation bodies within 12 months of the date of award.
• Other security certifications: No

Social value

• Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery:

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 1: Fair work: That offers fair wages and good working conditions. Help people get a job, stay in work, and progress in their careers, with good employment opportunities across the country. Notes: Where there is a large proportion of labour costs in the contract, commercial teams should consider MAC in Outcome 1 as a priority

    • Plans to engage the contract workforce in deciding the most important workplace issues to address
    • Employment contracts that reflect actual hours worked; steps taken to ensure employees understand their contracts and have the ability to review and adjust them if actual hours regularly exceed contracted hours
    • Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
    • Entitlement to sick pay for the contract workforce, with provision in place for any staff who do not meet the earnings threshold for statutory sick pay, payment of sick pay from day one of absence and payment of staff on the contract workforce who are off sick a replacement income of 100% of their usual earnings for as long as possible
    • Measures to support in-work progression to help people in the contract workforce, to move into higher paid work by developing new skills relevant to the contract
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
    • Understanding of the modern slavery risks and issues affecting the market, industry, sector or country (of origin or of source) relevant to the contract, and the workforce in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key subcontractors

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 2: Skills for growth: Supporting growth sectors and addressing skills gaps.

    • Understanding of employment and relevant skills issues, and of the education and training issues relating to the contract. Illustrative examples: demographics, skills shortages, new opportunities in high growth sectors, geographic/local community and skills/employment challenges
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 3: Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chains: Support economic growth through enabling resilient businesses, opportunities for small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises

    • Structuring of the supply chain selection process to ensure fairness (e.g. anti-corruption) and encourages participation by a diverse range of businesses, including with regard to new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutual

  • Mission: Make Britain a clean energy superpower: To cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero

    Policy Outcome 4: Sustainable procurement practices: Reducing carbon footprints, minimising waste, and promoting the use of clean energy and green technologies.

    • Delivery of additional environmental benefits through the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
    • Understanding of how to influence staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders through the delivery of the contract to support climate and nature protection and improvement

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 6: Employment and training: For those who face barriers to employment

    • Understanding of employment and skills issues, and of the skills and employment shortages of high growth sectors relating to the contract
    • Understanding of the issues affecting the representation of disabled people in the workforce in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
    • Working conditions which promote an inclusive working environment and promote retention and progression

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 7: Creating a pipeline of opportunities: For the contract workforce, reducing barriers to entry for under-represented groups.

    • Understanding of the issues affecting the development of new skills by target cohort
    • Understanding of issues relating to entering the contract workforce

  • Mission: Build an NHS fit for the future: That is there when people need it; with fewer lives lost to the biggest killers; in a fairer Britain, where everyone lives well for longer.

    Policy Outcome 8: Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing: In the supply chain and communities in the relevant area.

    • Understanding of issues relating to health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at ian.bellia@openanswers.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.