DEEPER THAN BLUE LTD

IBM Automation Saas Software Implementation, Service and Support

DeeperThanBlue delivers IBM Automation services enabling secure, scalable hybrid integration and process automation. Using IBM MQ, App Connect Enterprise, API Connect, IBM Cloud Paks and webMethods, we connect systems, manage APIs and automate workflows across IBM Cloud, Microsoft Azure Marketplace and AWS Marketplace.

Features

• Hybrid integration platform supporting iPaaS, SaaS and on-premises systems
• Enterprise-grade messaging using IBM MQ
• Application integration with IBM App Connect Enterprise
• Full API lifecycle management via IBM API Connect
• 600+ pre-built connectors and legacy adapters
• Low-code, drag-and-drop integration development
• Kubernetes-based, OpenShift-certified cloud-native architecture
• Secure connectivity using VPN and Direct Link
• High availability with automated monitoring and recovery
• Rapid deployment using templates and reusable assets

Benefits

• Faster integration delivery with low-code self-service tooling
• Reduced complexity across hybrid and multi-cloud environments
• Improved agility through API-led, decoupled architectures
• Lower operational costs via automation and containerisation
• Increased resilience with scalable, event-driven integration
• Secure, compliant data exchange across systems
• Future-proof platforms aligned to cloud-native strategies
• Consistent governance across integrations and APIs
• Faster time-to-value using pre-built connectors
• Reduced technical debt through modernisation

• 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 chris.booker@deeperthanblue.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

259460312142888

Contact

Chris Booker
0114 3992820
chris.booker@deeperthanblue.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  Application Development and Deployment

  Application platforms

  • Robotic process automation
• Multi cloud support: Yes

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model:
  • Public cloud
  • Private cloud
  • Hybrid cloud
• Service constraints: Cloud Services are designed to be available 24/7, subject to maintenance. Client will be notified of scheduled maintenance.
• System requirements:
  • Internet connection & web browser
  • Deployed on AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud or IBM Cloud
  • Can be deployed on premise

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support response times: IBM services levels are defined by categorising incident types according to severity, with response times per category of severity eg. Sev 1, 2 and 3. IBM would typically monitor e-mail/ticketing/telephone support 24x7, 7 days a week, categorising the incident and invoking the appropriate SLA. Sev 1/2 incidents can be prioritised for weekend responses. Sev 3 would typically attract a response during office hours (Monday to Friday 9 to 5).
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Web chat support: Yes
• Web chat support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Web chat accessibility testing: None
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: DeeperThanBlue provides comprehensive Support and Managed Services to ensure stability, performance, and security of critical business systems, priced from £850 to £3,575 monthly including incident hours.; ; Our support model offers a choice of coverage levels, allowing customers to select the service window that best fits operational needs, from standard business hours, extended business hours, and full 24×5 availability through to 24×7 support for always‑on environments. These options ensure organisations can depend on consistent access to skilled support specialists whenever incidents arise. ; ; Two service tiers are available: Standard and Premium. Both provide structured incident categorisation with defined response times, while Premium delivers faster responses for high-severity issues. Incidents are prioritised by impact and urgency: Level 1 (production system outages) through Level 4 (general enquiries). Response commitments range from one-hour for critical Premium incidents to 24-hour for low-severity queries across both tiers. ; ; Our Managed Services are delivered by experienced engineers who monitor, diagnose, and support system operations proactively. By combining flexible coverage options with clear and measurable SLAs, DeeperThanBlue ensures customers benefit from reliable technical support, reduced downtime, and consistently high service quality. This approach enables organisations to maintain optimal performance while focusing on strategic objectives.
• Support available to third parties: Yes
• AI chatbot: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Onsite and online training can be provide as required (charges apply).; Extensive user documentation exists on the IBM site.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: Each service on the IBM Cloud platform differs in the ability to export data.; IBM will return the Client Data within a reasonable period in a reasonable and common format upon receiving written instructions from the Client prior to termination or expiration.
• End-of-contract process: At the end of the contract services continue to run but the user will be prompted to add a new payment method or sign a new contract. Access via the UI will be disable but services continue to run and there is no immediate data loss.
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
• Application to install: Yes
• Compatible operating systems:
  • Android
  • IOS
  • Linux or Unix
  • MacOS
  • Windows
  • ChromeOS
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: The desktop service may integrate with other enterprise applications. This may be more limited on the mobile device.
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/watsonx-as-a-service?topic=started-watsonx-apis
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: WebMethods is customisable either in the Cloud or on premise versions. IBM Cloud Paks use pre-built configurations that describe runtime environments. These resource definitions can be easily customised during deployment, and upgrades can be easily rolled out or rolled back.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: The architecture of IBM cloud services maintains logical separation of client data. Internal rules and measures separate data processing, such as inserting, modifying, deleting, and transferring data, according to the contracted purposes.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Billing & Usage metrics, Application logs & performance metrics, User login & API events.
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
• Resource tagging: No
• FOCUS resource tagging: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Reseller providing extra support
• Organisation whose services are being resold: IBM

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Staff screening not performed
• Government security clearance: Security Clearance (SC)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations:
  • United Kingdom
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
• 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 once a year
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v4.0
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
  • Scale, obfuscating techniques, or data storage sharding
  • Other
• Other data at rest protection approach: Security for both data-in-use and data-at-rest is the customers responsibility as the applications are developed. Customers can take advantage of several data-related services available in the IBM Cloud Catalog and IBM will advise and support as required. IBM are unable to view or access customer data.
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001
• Data sanitisation type: Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation / Secure Erase

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Export capabilities depend on the specific deployment model and use case.
• Data export formats: Other
• Data import formats: Other

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
  • Other
• Other protection between networks: IBM will encrypt content not intended for public or unauthenticated viewing when transferring content over public networks. Further, unless excluded by a TD, IBM will enable use of a cryptographic protocol, such as HTTPS, SFTP, and FTPS, for Client’s secure transfer of content to and from the Cloud Service over public networks.
• Data protection within supplier network:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: 99.95% for applications/services configured for high availability across 2 or more IBM Cloud geographic regions. 99.5% for applications/services deployed in a single geographic region. 10% credit refund if SLA is not met with necessary information to validate such a claim.
• Approach to resilience: Available on request
• Outage reporting: Email notifications for scheduled changes

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Role based access restricts access to management interfaces and support channels. Roles include developer, manager, auditor and billing manager. Different roles see different interfaces.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • 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: User-defined
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• How long system logs are stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards:
  • ISO/IEC 27001
  • Other
• Other security governance standards: IBM Cloud (IBM PaaS) runs on Softlayer. Softlayer is certified compliant with major industry standards like ISO 27001 & ISO 27018
• Information security policies and processes: IBM has an Information Technology (IT) Security policy that establishes the requirements for the protection of IBM's worldwide IT systems and the information assets they contain, including networks and computing devices such as servers, workstations, host computers, application programs, web services, and telephone systems within the IBM infrastructure. IBM’s IT Security policy is supplemented by standards and guidelines, such as the Security Standards for IBM's Infrastructure, the Security and Use Standards for IBM Employees and the Security Guidelines for Outsourced Business Services. Such are reviewed by a cross-company team led by the IT Risk organization every six months.; ; IBM has a dedicated Vice President of IT Security who leads a team responsible for IBM's own enterprise data security standards and practices. Responsibility and accountability for executing internal security programs is established through formal documented policies. IBM Services teams also have dedicated executives and teams who are responsible for information and physical security in the delivery of our client services.
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: IBM uses QRadar to track configuration and manage the lifecycle of components. Core platform components run through an automated pipeline to evaluate security impact of the change.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: IBM uses endpoint manager to manage patches to the system. IBM hardens the systems to ITCS 103.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: IBM uses QRadar to monitor system events which automatically raises a ticket to manage incidents.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: IBM:; - maintains and follows incident response policies aligned with NIST guidelines for computer security incident handling, and will comply with data breach notification requirements under applicable law. ; - investigates security incidents, including unauthorised access or use of content or Cloud Service, of which IBM becomes aware, and, if warranted, define and execute an appropriate response plan. ; - promptly notifies Client upon determining that a security incident known/reasonably suspected by IBM to affect Client has occurred. ; - provides Client with reasonably requested information about such security incident and status of applicable remediation and restoration activities performed or directed by IBM.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v4.0)

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: A free 90-day trial version for each of the last two IBM MQ major versions, is available for download.; ; A full featured version of IBM MQ plus the full suite of capabilities included in IBM MQ Advanced.
• Link to free trial: https://www.ibm.biz/ibmmqtrial

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

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

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: 172fc5f8-b27f-4d3b-8e17-7491b529e4be
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: A62e3614-9846-4de9-90f3-0c032387c640
• 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

    • New or retained jobs on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b, 1c and 1d
    • Providing opportunities for, and measuring and monitoring of, staff workforce conditions over time, including employee engagement, involvement in decision-making and satisfaction and adapting to any changes in the results, with clear processes for acting on issues identified
    • 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
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about and feel empowered to report and address bullying and harassment
    • Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
    • Monitoring and reporting of gender and ethnicity pay gaps and plans to address them where necessary
    • 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
    • Understanding of in-work progression issues affecting the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
    • 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
    • Volunteering opportunities for staff
    • Outline policies and practices to be applied to or put in place for the contract to mitigate and manage modern slavery risks, including: Pre-employment checks, recruitment practices. Workplace conditions, safeguarding plans and processes in place and regular monitoring with relevant groups considered, which may include sampling
    • How to ensure business decisions re: price/cost, short lead times, payment timescales do not create modern slavery risks in the supply chain

  • 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: 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
    • Understanding barriers to access to health and social care services or employment opportunities e.g. digital inclusion

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 chris.booker@deeperthanblue.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.