Strategic Blue
Flexible AWS Cost Optimisation
Flexible cost optimisation and cloud financial management without changing technical usage. AWS Reserved Instance and Savings Plan optimization, not constrained by standard AWS terms. Compatible with access to the OGVA and AWS Marketplace. Spend visibility and governance. Ability to prepay for future services. No fee.
Features
- Greater discounts than available from AWS direct with FinOps Support
- Flexible commitment durations (3 to 36 months) available for savings
- Free, no service fee
- Maintain existing AWS technical service delivery relationships and contracts
- Operates with any active OGVA/PPA commitment
- Secure, requiring non-intrusive access to cost and usage meta-data only
- Our activity is isolated in dedicated, auditable AWS accounts
- Requires no technical changes to cloud usage
- Maintain ownership of your AWS usage accounts
- Free Savings Review Proof of Concept available
Benefits
- More control to maximise commitment based savings on your terms
- Clear, auditable process enabling cloud cost governance
- Maintain existing technical service delivery relationships and contracts
- Savings tailored to your plans and on your timescales
- Maintain existing technical service delivery relationships and contracts
- Access to service KPIs and usage trend reporting dashboards
- Simplified budget management with low, stable unit costs
- Budget alert and anomaly detection setup guidance
- Maximise savings, maintain flexibility
Pricing
£1 a unit
- Education pricing available
Service documents
Request an accessible format
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Framework
G-Cloud 14
Service ID
3 2 1 7 8 2 4 7 3 3 2 3 9 6 0
Contact
Strategic Blue
James Mitchell
Telephone: 0736 0498154
Email: sales@strategic-blue.com
Planning
- Planning service
- Yes
- How the planning service works
- Strategic Blue can provide cost planning services as part of a detailed cost analysis consultancy offering.
- Planning service works with specific services
- No
Training
- Training service provided
- Yes
- How the training service works
- As part of the FinOps practice development Strategic Blue can provide FinOps training covering finops governance, planning & tracking, optimisation, risk mitigation and maturity assessments
- Training is tied to specific services
- No
Setup and migration
- Setup or migration service available
- No
Quality assurance and performance testing
- Quality assurance and performance testing service
- No
Security testing
- Security services
- No
Ongoing support
- Ongoing support service
- Yes
- Types of service supported
- Hosting or software provided by a third-party organisation
- How the support service works
-
This service can be used in addition to AWS direct or any other reseller, providing a free add-on service to optimise cost and maximise the value of your cloud service.
Minimise TCO and reduce the FinOps time and effort while maximising the benefit.
Service scope
- Service constraints
- None
User support
- Email or online ticketing support
- Email or online ticketing
- Support response times
- General support tickets are answered within 48 hours, Monday to Friday.
- 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
- Web chat
- Web chat support availability
- 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
- Web chat support accessibility standard
- WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
- Web chat accessibility testing
- Webchat is provided via a Slack channel. https://slack.com/intl/en-gb/accessibility-plan
- Support levels
- Not applicable to consultancy services
Resellers
- Supplier type
- Not a reseller
Staff security
- Staff security clearance
- Other security clearance
- Government security clearance
- Up to Security Clearance (SC)
Standards and certifications
- ISO/IEC 27001 certification
- Yes
- Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
- British Assessment Bureau
- ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
- 22 October 2024
- What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
- N/A
- ISO 28000:2007 certification
- No
- CSA STAR certification
- Yes
- CSA STAR accreditation date
- 14/02/2023
- CSA STAR certification level
- Level 1: CSA STAR Self-Assessment
- What the CSA STAR doesn’t cover
- All services are covered
- PCI certification
- No
- Cyber essentials
- Yes
- Cyber essentials plus
- No
- Other security certifications
- No
Social Value
- Social Value
-
Social Value
- Fighting climate change
- Tackling economic inequality
- Equal opportunity
- Wellbeing
Fighting climate change
Strategic Blue is committed to achieving Net Zero Greenhouse Gas emissions by 2040 and has a Carbon Reduction Plan on our website. We are certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management compliant. Our Environmental Policy outlines our commitment to minimising the environmental impact of our activities, including embedding environmental sustainability in procurement processes and contract terms to ensure our suppliers are able to demonstrate their commitment to protecting the environment.
In recent years, we've implemented several measures aimed at diminishing our carbon emissions. Initiatives like our electric car salary sacrifice programme and cycle-to-work scheme were launched to promote environmental consciousness among our staff. Embracing a hybrid work approach, we limit travel to essential in-person meetings, thereby lessening our carbon impact. Additionally, our assessment of the supply chain includes an evaluation of supplier environmental credentials and carbon reduction strategies.
We believe that through cost optimisation we make the cloud a more attractive financial option, which encourages our customers to move more of their workloads to the cloud. This has the benefit of moving services from inefficient legacy data centres (average PUE 1.6) to cloud data centres (PUE 1.2) with a consequential 25% power saving, and associated carbon emissions reduction.
Critical to this migration is the buyer’s ability to forecast its future costs, and those future costs benefiting from optimal prices. Strategic Blue’s core proposition thus centres around helping buyers understand their future usage and costs, translating into commitments to hyperscalers, to help these vendors manage their capacity, and thus their carbon footprint.Tackling economic inequality
Strategic Blue fully recognises the importance of creating new opportunities for all individuals to acquire relevant digital skills.
Strategic Blue works as part of the Cloudbank consortium, funded by the NSF, to enable cloud research and facilitate easy access to digital skills development.
We continue to support UK-based university customers, including those early in their cloud journey, helping researchers and support staff enhance their digital skills. We desire to build on this foundation to establish a UK-based Cloudbank initiative.
We freely expand the Cloud FinOps knowledge available within the broader cloud user community through blogs and podcasts on cost optimisation and control, on our website, events and through our active contribution to the FinOps Foundation.
We have established a Core Competency and Values framework, outlining necessary competencies and core values for all at Strategic Blue. We shall be formulating learning and development initiatives that will be integral to tackling the digital skills gap. These initiatives will empower Strategic Blue to establish impactful apprenticeships and internships, targeting marginalised communities and individuals confronted by economic obstacles, and granting them access to valuable opportunities.
We aim to forge partnerships with non-profit organisations specialising in addressing economic inequality and the digital skills gap. By collaborating, we can amplify our impact and reach a broader audience, possibly involving joint initiatives, outreach programmes, or financial support.
With expanding business demands, we will hire additional Account Managers, Technical Support personnel, and Portfolio specialists, creating new digitally skilled jobs. Nurturing an inclusive culture valuing diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, we create an inviting environment that attracts talent from various communities.Equal opportunity
Strategic Blue is committed to promoting awareness of and taking positive action to address workforce inequality across multiple dimensions, including employment, skills, pay, and development. We ensure that our recruitment processes are fair and inclusive, actively seeking candidates from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented groups. We have implemented policies and practices that prevent discrimination based on factors such as race, gender, age, disability, or socioeconomic status. Our goal is to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.
We invest in continuous skills development programmes for our employees, providing training opportunities that enhance their professional growth and aim to close skills gaps within our organisation. We provide access to training and development initiatives, ensuring that all employees have an equal chance to acquire new skills and advance their careers.
We conduct regular and thorough pay equity analyses to identify and rectify any disparities in compensation based on any protected characteristics. Our aim is to ensure that all employees receive fair and equitable remuneration for their contributions, regardless of their background.
We have clear pathways for career advancement and development within our organisation. We implement performance evaluation systems that are unbiased and objective, provide opportunities for mentorship, and offer transparent criteria for promotions. By creating an environment that fosters equal opportunities for growth, we actively tackle workforce inequality.
As a small to medium-sized business we are constrained in our capacity to guarantee the dedication of our suppliers to uphold fairness in their workplaces. However, we assess our suppliers within our approved supplier process and conduct yearly audits. These steps are taken to verify that our supply chain aligns with our principles concerning equality, diversity, and respect.Wellbeing
Strategic Blue prioritises the holistic health and wellbeing of its workforce, fostering a culture of support and encouragement that extends beyond the workplace. We give all employees access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that offers vital resources such as counselling and tailored nutrition advice, ensuring employees have access to professional guidance for both physical and mental health challenges.
Recognising the importance of mental health awareness, all new starters undergo specialised training to equip them with the knowledge and tools to navigate mental health issues effectively. Additionally, our commitment to employee wellbeing is underscored by mandatory training for managers on 'How to Support Employee Wellbeing', empowering them to create a nurturing environment conducive to optimal health outcomes.
We also provide staff with access to two medical benefit providers that offer a diverse range of services tailored to address both mental and physical wellbeing, ensuring our employees have access to comprehensive support networks. Furthermore, our dedicated mental health support folder provides a repository of valuable resources, including expert advice and informative documents, accessible to all employees.
Strategic Blue goes beyond mere provision, actively fostering a culture of wellbeing through regular events designed to promote team cohesion and mental health awareness. From team-building activities to stress-relief initiatives like yoga classes, these events serve as vital outlets for employees to unwind and prioritise self-care.
Central to our ethos is the cultivation of a supportive workplace culture that champions work-life balance and open dialogue around wellbeing. By encouraging transparent communication and fostering an environment where employees feel valued and supported, we strive to create a community where holistic health is prioritised and nurtured.
Pricing
- Price
- £1 a unit
- Discount for educational organisations
- Yes
Service documents
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@strategic-blue.com.
Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.