Rowden Technologies Ltd

Hybrid-cloud RAG LLM

Rowden provides advanced ML tooling to develop and deliver customised, robust, and scalable RAG LLMs. It ensures enhanced security and seamless integration, facilitating real-time data management and analytics. Tailored for users business environments, it optimises efficiency and supports strategic decision-making. Accreditable to OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE.

Features

• Contextual Retrieval: Retrieves relevant data for accurate content generation
• Robust Security: Protects against breaches in hybrid-cloud environments
• Scalable Processing: Efficiently handles large data volumes across cloud environments
• Low Latency: Quickly processes queries for rapid response times
• Data Privacy: Ensures secure processing of sensitive information
• Multi-Source Integration: Gathers data from diverse sources for comprehensive insights
• Enhanced Metadata: Tailored metadata to improve the quality of responses
• Validation: At three key points during retrival, maximising response relevancy
• API Connectivity: Integrates seamlessly with existing systems for versatility

Benefits

• Enhanced Data Security: Safeguards sensitive data on private servers
• Regulatory Compliance: Strictly adheres to data protection laws
• Controlled Data Access: Authorised access to confidential data only
• Scalable Processing Power: Leverages public cloud for heavy computing
• Cost Efficiency: Balances costs between private and public clouds
• Reduced Latency: Processes key tasks locally for quicker responses.
• Operational Flexibility: Adapts resources without risking data security
• Reliable Data Retrieval: Consistent, secure access to data
• Enhanced Performance: Manages data flow for optimal operation
• Robust Disaster Recovery: Secure backups in public cloud

£550 to £1,450 a unit a day

• Education pricing available
• Free trial available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  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 sales@rowdentech.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

118076010504880

Contact

Sales Team
+44 (0) 117 4285759
sales@rowdentech.com

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model:
  • Public cloud
  • Private cloud
  • Hybrid cloud
• Service constraints: Our managed service excels in providing comprehensive support, including scheduled maintenance, tailored hardware assistance, and robust SLAs. While occasional downtime may occur during maintenance, we ensure advance notification to minimise inconvenience. With stringent SLAs guaranteeing prompt responses and reliable availability, our service maintains the highest standards of performance. Furthermore, our data retention policies prioritise security and compliance, instilling confidence in buyers. These considerations underscore our commitment to delivering a dependable and trustworthy managed solution.
• System requirements:
  • Proof of valid licences for third-party software integration required.
  • Compliance with usage terms outlined by third-party software vendors.
  • Confirmation of permitted usage and distribution rights for licensed software.
  • Documentation of licensing agreements for audit and compliance purposes.
  • Adherence to software version compatibility specifications from third-party vendors.
  • Licensing details for third-party software for system monitoring and management.
  • Verification of ongoing support and maintenance agreements for licensed software
  • Licensing keys or activation codes for software installation and activation.
  • Regular updates and patches to maintain compliance with third-party software.
  • Notification of changes in third-party vendor licensing terms or conditions.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Response times are dependent on service level agreements as agreed with the buyer. Flexible response times can be provided allowing users to ensure support is available when needed, including for operational purposes.
• 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: No
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: All support is co-ordinated by each dedicated customer technical account manager and levels are agreed on a customer-by-customer basis.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: We will conduct a detailed and thorough assessment of the client’s requirements, including Key Performance Indictors (KPIs) enabling us to customise a tailored solution. The assessment phase will be continuous throughout the life of the service and an agile response to any client changes in requirements will be adopted. An initial bedding-in period will be provided to ensure that users are able to exploit the services in full and as intended. Any changes will be made if required followed by a tailored onboarding process. Current IT/mobile infrastructure maybe incorporated into the implementation of the system.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: After a contract ends, users can initiate data removal by submitting a formal request to the provider, adhering to contract terms. The process typically involves specifying data to be deleted and desired timelines. Collaboration with the provider ensures a smooth transition, including secure data transfer or deletion. Users verify data completeness post-removal. Storage of extracted data aligns with internal policies and regulations.
• End-of-contract process: At the end of the contract, several steps occur. Firstly, any ongoing services or access to the RAG large language model cease unless a renewal or extension is negotiated. Data ownership rights are typically reviewed, with provisions for data extraction or deletion. Rowden may offer assistance in transitioning data or services to alternative solutions. As for the pricing structure, the contract typically includes the base cost for access to the RAG model and its functionalities. Additional costs may apply for extra services such as technical support, customization, or additional data storage beyond agreed-upon limits.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Internet Explorer 11
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 A
• Description of service interface: The service interface for our hybrid LLM (Large Language Model) includes features such as document input, language processing, document generation, collaboration, security, integration, and user support. It allows users to input documents, process language, and generate new content. Collaboration tools enable sharing, while security measures protect sensitive data. Integration capabilities facilitate data exchange with other systems, and user support services provide assistance. Through this interface, users can efficiently work with language data, collaborate, and ensure security and integration with existing workflows.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.1 A
• Accessibility testing: In ensuring accessibility compliance with WCAG 2.1 A standards, we conduct comprehensive testing procedures. Keyboard navigation testing confirms operability without mouse dependence. Screen reader compatibility testing verifies proper labelling and structure for accurate interpretation. Colour contrast testing assesses readability for those with visual impairments. Alternative text testing ensures non-text elements have descriptive alternatives for screen reader users. Focus indication testing validates clear indicators aiding keyboard navigation. Semantic markup testing confirms HTML structure aligns with assistive technology needs. User feedback testing solicits input from assistive technology users for ongoing improvements. Through these measures, we ensure our service meets WCAG 2.1 A standards, providing an inclusive experience for all users, regardless of abilities or assistive technology usage.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: The RAG LLM (Retrieval Augmented Generation Large Language Model) system transforms language processing tasks through its API, providing advanced capabilities for retrieval and generation.; ; Service Setup: Users authenticate and access the API to configure RAG LLM parameters comprehensively. Using API endpoints, they define model configurations, retrieval strategies, and generation parameters. Additionally, users set up input data formats, workflows, and integration with external systems for seamless data exchange.; ; Making Changes: The API facilitates dynamic adjustments to RAG LLM configurations. Via API calls, users fine-tune model settings, modify retrieval strategies, and adjust generation parameters to meet evolving requirements. They can trigger model training, monitor real-time performance metrics, and track inference progress seamlessly.; ; Limitations: While offering extensive flexibility, certain administrative tasks may require direct backend access for complex configurations or system-wide modifications. Users must adhere to API usage limits and rate restrictions to maintain system stability. Comprehensive documentation and error handling mechanisms support users in navigating limitations or challenges, ensuring a smooth experience throughout setup and modifications.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• API sandbox or test environment: No
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: What can be customised: Users can customise various aspects of the system, including interface settings, data configurations, user permissions, and notification preferences.; ; How users can customise: Customisation is facilitated through an intuitive dashboard or administration interface. Users can access settings menus, input desired configurations, and save changes with ease.; ; Who can customise: Typically, administrators or designated personnel within the organisation have the authority to customise system settings. Access to customisation features may be restricted based on user roles and permissions to maintain security and control.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: By offering a cloud based solution in multiple UK datacentres and working with users to understand the capacity and load baseline requirements we are able to scale independently of other users. Once in production, our expert network and hosting architecture staff will monitor and manage all service supporting components to ensure the service is maintained.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Rowden provide a custom set of metrics that can be reported on either in real time or via scheduled reports. There is a vast set of metrics that can be reported on, as an example Geo Spatial location Number of Active users Security violations User separation data User interaction data Crash reports UI interactions.
• Reporting types:
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Up to Developed Vetting (DV)

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 3.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a CHECK service provider
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v3.0
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
  • Encryption of all physical media
  • Scale, obfuscating techniques, or data storage sharding
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type: Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v.30, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Rowden respects that your data is your data. It can be removed by you at any time. Depending on the customers needs Rowden will either automate the process or provide user access to date. Often there is a requirement to transform the data to enable further exploitation this is a service that is provided.
• Data export formats: Other
• Other data export formats:
  • Text Files (TXT)
  • JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
  • CSV (Comma-Separated Values)
  • XML (Extensible Markup Language)
  • HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
  • Markdown: Lightweight markup language for exporting plain text with formatting
• Data import formats: Other
• Other data import formats:
  • Text Files (TXT)
  • JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
  • CSV (Comma-Separated Values)
  • XML (Extensible Markup Language)
  • HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
  • Markdown: Lightweight markup language for importing plain text with formatting

Data-in-transit protection

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

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: We will provide the user with compensation in the form of a service extension if through the fault of the Supplier the service has been degraded to such a level as to prevent the user from gaining access. All UK datacentres used have a 99.9% uptime. As part of the on boarding process specific business critical SLAs can be requested including the ability to specify critical events that will require additional support or resource.
• Approach to resilience: We build our public cloud solutions to utilise the redundant and fault tolerance features of the cloud. Servers can be distributed across multiple availability zones and regions and duplicated where appropriate to provide fault tolerance across all disaster scenarios. Using the latest clustering techniques we are able to provide elastic scaling on demand ensuring high performance is maintained across all traffic demands. We utilise the latest DevOps and Infrastructure-As-Code practices to create dynamic, scalable and resilient applications that are easy to maintain, cost efficient and reliable.
• Outage reporting: In the event of an outage, the Service Delivery Manager contacts the the user to inform them. The User also has full access to a management dashboard with configurable email alerts. Further updates are then communicated using a combination of methods, including the dashboard, phone, or email in accordance with the severity of the outage as documented in our Incident Management process.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) and AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) are integrated into the identity and access management interfaces. Azure AD is Microsoft's cloud-based directory service, while IAM provides similar functionalities in AWS. Both services offer core directory services, application access management, and identity protection, enhancing security and efficiency across Azure and AWS platforms.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)

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 have access to real-time audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: User-defined
• How long system logs are stored for: User-defined

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Other security certifications: No

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: Other
• Other security governance standards: Cyber Essentials Plus
• Information security policies and processes: Rowden follow industry best practice to deliver Information Security Policies which is governed at board level and tailored to support individual projects.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: All changes to component configuration are submitted to a Minor or Major change management process with the aim of maintaining operational service whilst incorporating the change as quickly as possible. All changes are technically reviewed, risk-assessed, scheduled and then re-reviewed post-implementation.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: In our vulnerability management process, we assess threats through diverse sources like threat intel feeds and vendor advisories. We promptly deploy patches, prioritising critical ones for immediate action, staging others to minimize disruptions. Information sources include official vendor announcements, CVE databases, and security forums, ensuring timely response to emerging threats.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Our protective monitoring processes involve:; ; Identifying Potential Compromises: We use advanced tools to scrutinise network traffic, logs, and user activity for anomalies.; Response to Compromises: Upon detection, we escalate to our incident response team for investigation and containment.; Incident Response Time: We adhere to predefined procedures, aiming to acknowledge and respond to incidents within minutes, minimising attackers' dwell time and mitigating harm swiftly.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: Our incident management processes include predefined procedures for common events, ensuring a systematic response. Users report incidents through email, online forms, or phone hotlines, promoting prompt resolution. Incident reports are generated post-resolution, detailing the event's timeline, impact, root cause analysis, remediation actions, and preventive measures. These reports enhance transparency and facilitate organisational learning.

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

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Covid-19 recovery
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  As a forward-looking company delivering next-generation technical solutions, we have a responsibility to lead the way in addressing climate change. To achieve this, we embed climate change initiatives into the delivery of all our contracts, creating a link between revenue generation and positive ecological change. During call-off, we will agree with the Buyer a specific plan, timescales and reporting (via our Social Values Dashboard) to demonstrate how our services will; positively impact climate change. This plan will introduce new initiatives (together with the necessary budget) and build on existing efforts. We offset the emissions of our workforce, contractors and external project team members to drive long lasting positive behaviours. This is via Ecologi Ltd, Bristol-based social enterprise. We offer employee benefits that encourage and influence positive environmental behaviours including free onsite EV charging, a competitive EV rental salary sacrifice scheme, and access to advanced technology solutions that support effective remote working. We engage and involve our people in our sustainability efforts via an internal working group that leads on climate change initiatives (recent examples being a switch to recycled paper and a scheme under which we donate our unwanted technology to a local children’s charity). We track the emissions generated by our business and wider supply chain using a carbon accounting module which is integrated into our accounting software. This enables us to identify actionable methods of reducing emissions in line with our target to reduce per head emissions by 25% by 2030, which we have set out in our Carbon Reduction Plan. We ask our supply chain to adhere to sustainability commitments as part of our Supplier Code of Conduct, thus encouraging positive environmental action in our wider ecosystem. We plan to establish a working group involving a range of suppliers to feed into broader environmental initiatives.

  Covid-19 recovery

  Rowden recognises that local communities and individuals within them are still recovering from the effects of COVID-19. As part of our sustainable growth, we support the local community in ongoing recovery efforts. During call-off, we will agree with the Buyer a specific plan, timescales and reporting (via our Social Values Dashboard) to demonstrate how our services will support COVID-19 recovery. This plan will introduce new initiatives and build on these existing efforts. Recognising employees may still be subject to physical and psychological consequences of COVID-19, we provide a comprehensive employee benefits package including private medical insurance, a health cash plan and 24/7 access to counselling via the LifeWorks Employee Assistance Programme. Trained mental health first aiders support our dedication to ensure the mental health of our people. Financial support and advice is available via Bippit. The evolution of home working arrangements that were necessary during the pandemic into permanent flexible working policies that both support employees with a diverse range of caring needs or health concerns and underpin our talent attraction strategies. A dedicated sustainability budget, used for initiatives across three pillars of Rowden’s sustainability programme (economic, social, environmental). Employees can suggest uses for funds, including charitable donations and event sponsorship. We engage in a range of community/charitable initiatives, from homeless collections, volunteering at STEM events, through to sustainable travel initiatives run by the local authority. Strategies to create new work opportunities and maintain job security for existing employees through development of new products and services. Sourcing local suppliers of goods and services wherever possible (taking into account customer requirements), thus stimulating the local economy. Extensive L&D budgets to support employees with training and development opportunities, including those that are relevant in the post-pandemic economy (e.g. using modern delivery approaches to adapt to changing market demands).

  Tackling economic inequality

  As a regional SME, we understand the barriers to entry that exist in the sector and are committed to tackling economic inequality. During call-off, we will agree with the Buyer a specific plan, timescales and reporting (via our Social Values Dashboard) to demonstrate how our services will tackle economic inequality. This plan will introduce new initiatives and will build on the following existing efforts. Measures to improve EDI in our hiring processes and employment (see equal opportunities response). Investment in an L&D budget of £600 per head available for courses and qualifications to upskill people in areas relevant to our contracts. This complements a tailored internal training programme, mentoring schemes and other external programmes. We have just recruited our 2024 intake for our graduate engineering scheme. We would consider funding additional places linked to a specific call-off. Partnerships with a range of organisations to tackle inequality in our sector and a dedicated STEM budget for community outreach, engagement, and sponsorship (see equal opportunities response). · We endeavour to achieve the optimum balance of employees and contractors, considering what will provide the best customer outcomes. We consider how to increase opportunities for diverse businesses and proactively seek out local SMEs for support, e.g. via teaming and partnership structures. We provide informal mentorship and technical assistance to such businesses to help them deliver their strategies. We actively seek to reduce barriers to entry for new market entrants/SMEs by championing modularity principles to guide procurement, maintaining an independent, vendor-agnostic delivery approach. We track information about the types of suppliers we work with as a key metric. Our Supplier Code of Conduct clarifies what we expect from our supply chain. We manage cyber risks across delivery and are Cyber Essentials Plus certified. We assess and mitigate cyber security risks in our supply chain.

  Equal opportunity

  Rowden's commitment to tackling workplace inequality is a core company value and strategic imperative. During call-off, we will agree with the Buyer a specific plan, timescales and reporting (via our Social Values Dashboard) to demonstrate how our services will deliver equal opportunities. This plan will introduce new initiatives and build on existing efforts. Recognising that gender imbalance is an issue in our sector, we are signatories to the Women in Defence Charter. 30% of our workforce is female; we aim to reach at least 35% by 2030. We are a Disability Confident Employer, collaborating with the Business Disability Forum for advice which helps us understand the issues affecting the disabled community. Working with Evenbreak, we publicise opportunities to disabled candidates. We are an Armed Forces Covenant signatory, planning to become a Gold Armed Forces Covenant Award member by 2030. This continues a longstanding practice - 30% of our workforce constitutes service leavers. Pay equity is maintained through biannual reviews. Our holistic benefits package offers flexible working for a diverse range of employees. 96% of employees reported a positive work-life balance in our 2024 engagement survey. Employees undertake mandatory EDI training. Hiring managers receive additional training to reduce the risk of bias in recruitment. Monthly EDI L&D sessions (via our partnership with Powered By Diversity) cover protected characteristics. We use recruitment agencies committed to targeting under-represented groups. Our interviews include skills-based tasks to remove subjective judgements/improve diversity. We proactively discuss reasonable adjustments in hiring to set the foundations for success. We participate in Tech Talent’s diversity survey and partner with Coding Black Females. Our dedicated STEM budget supports community outreach. We sponsor initiatives that champion equality (mentoring schemes - Women Like Me, events - CynNam EmPower Girls). We pledge to sign up to the MotherBoard and Bristol Women in Business charters.

  Wellbeing

  Our workplace culture prioritises employee health and wellbeing from the top down. During call-off, we will agree with the Buyer a specific plan, timescales and reporting (via our Social Values Dashboard) to demonstrate our commitment to wellbeing. This plan will introduce new initiatives and build on our existing efforts. We offer hybrid working and flexible working policies support our workforce. 96% of employees reported a positive work-life balance in our 2024 engagement survey. Our comprehensive employee benefits package includes private medical insurance, a health cash plan and access to counselling (LifeWorks Employee Assistance Programme). We offer financial support and advice via Bippit, and a cycle-to-work scheme. We provide good physical workplace conditions, including an on-site gym, ‘wellness room’ and free lunch and healthy snacks. We actively promote wellbeing resources, e.g. ‘wellness action plans’, and signpost local/national services. Trained mental health first aiders are on hand to support our people. Managers undertake workplace mental health training to support mental health conversations during 121s and signposting to resources. Our people policies align to the 6 standards of the ‘Mental Health at Work’ framework. We run a bi-annual engagement survey to gather employee feedback. We have a strong focus on cooperative team behaviours and encourage conflict to be dealt with maturely and respectfully. We collaborate with our customer teams throughout contract design and delivery. Prioritising engagement, we ensure contracts align with customer needs and values. We frequently provide our customers with access to co-working spaces onsite. This increases the unplanned interactions that are vital to reduce project risk, builds long-term trust, and facilitates faster organisational learning, thereby creating greater productivity. We communicate with customers about our dedication to community wellbeing and actively engage ensuring alignment with their needs. These efforts aim to foster strong, integrated communities where everyone feels valued and supported.

Pricing

• Price: £550 to £1,450 a unit a day
• Discount for educational organisations: Yes
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: Rowden will support the user to define what they want to trial before providing a 2 week free to use trial. All data generated by the user will be available for export if required.

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  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 sales@rowdentech.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.