CDS

MicroStrategy Cloud

MicroStrategy is a secure cloud-based management information and business intelligence reporting solution, designed specifically for the public sector user. Via a simple per-user subscription fee, it provides access to intelligent insight and actionable analytics to drive change, via intuitive user-friendly dashboards for granular reporting and data visualisation.

Features

• No upfront investment or infrastructure required
• Secure hosted environment ISO27001 certified
• Create responsive, device-agnostic solutions
• Support via ITIL and ISO20000 compliant Service Desk
• Quick and cost-effective deployment
• Expert training by MicroStrategy specialists
• Access to onboarding experts to support deployment
• Dedicated testing team certified to ISO20000 service management
• Hosting via tier 1 provider with 99.9% availability per month

Benefits

• Access to MicroStrategy's entire BI platform
• In-depth analysis from the world’s leading BI software
• Designed to empower non-technical users to explore data
• Designed to deliver actionable analytics to drive change
• Scalable based on user and business needs
• Easy and intuitive to use
• Secure handling of sensitive or personal data is assured
• Accessed via browser, tablet and mobile
• Quickly see return on investment

£40 a user a year

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 bidteam@cds.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

441786899455104

Contact

Matt Johnson
0113 399 4000
bidteam@cds.co.uk

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Private cloud
• Service constraints: N/A
• System requirements: The solution requires Microstrategy for mobile (app) or web installed

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: 9am-5pm Monday to Friday as standard; up to 24x7x365 by arrangement. SLAs vary by contract
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• 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: We provide second and third-line support and maintenance for deployed services via our ISO 20000-certified Managed Service, which uses ITIL methodology to maintain the integrity and availability of business-critical, high profile and complex systems. ; ; All of CDS Service Delivery team are ITIL-certified. ; ; Our service provides: ; ; Incident and Service request management ; ; Problem management ; ; Change management ; ; Release and Deployment management ; ; Service Transition management ; ; Service level management and service reporting ; ; Configuration management ; ; Service level agreement ; ; Continual Service Improvement ; ; Risk Management. ; ; We offer three service levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) that include: ; ; Telephone and email support ; ; Online ITSM service desk for issue logging, reporting and issue tracking, available 24x7 ; ; Core hours of Monday to Friday, 9.00am-5.00pm, excluding bank holidays ; ; Out of hours, as optional extra up to 24x7x365 ; ; Service reviews ; ; Service reports. ; ; Support and maintenance contracts stipulate a minimum level of support provision per month, appropriate to the size and complexity of the service, aligned to the preferred service support tier. Additional time is chargeable at the day rates listed on the SFIA rate card.
• Support available to third parties: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: On boarding of data will involve an analysis phase. Working with the customer, we will identify the data sources the customer has or wishes to access as part of the proposed solution. Once agreed, CDS will work with the customer to extract data from the identified sources into a number of staging data sources. Based on the required metrics, CDS will create a series of dynamic dashboard reports that will allow the user to gain visual actionable insight.; Training; To support the transition to Cloud based BI solution, CDS and Microstrategy are able to provide a range of training courses.; Introductory training is offered free of charge at Microstrategy’s premises in West London. This is based on joining a “public” training course with other customers.; CDS is also able to provide bespoke training to help support the deployment. All training is “hands-on”, delivered by one of CDS’ experienced BI experts. Training sessions can be delivered either on-site or at one of CDS’ offices in Leeds, Cheltenham or London.; Professionally written user documentation can be provided at an additional cost which will include step-by-step instructions and screenshots of your delivered system.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats: PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: Ownership of the data contained in the solution belongs and rests with the client/customer. As the service is decommissioned the data will be extracted in its native format and transferred to the client via trusted hand.
• End-of-contract process: The service will cease on the agreed date/time and users will be denied access. All data will be returned to the client in accordance with the specific client contract.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: No
• Application to install: Yes
• Compatible operating systems:
  • Android
  • IOS
  • MacOS
  • Windows
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: Native app functionality that uses touch, swipe & pinch features are mirrored as closely as possible in the browser version.
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: None or don’t know
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: The API does not allow for setup of the service, however it supports features including: authentication, folder browsing, filtering data, searching, retrieving data from the Intelligence Server (referred to as the JSON Data API), uploading external data (referred to as the Push Data API), and manage attributes, relationships, facts, user hierarchies, tables, filters, prompts, derived elements, consolidations, custom groups, and security filters through the Modeling service.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: HTML
• API sandbox or test environment: No
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: With the necessary skills, dashboards can be created and customised using Microstrategy.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: In order to guarantee that users are not affected by the demands from other users, we use resource reservations and shares such as internet bandwidth shaping. In addition, the capacity planning team ensure that usage in terms of all resources are constantly monitored and increased accordingly relating to user demand.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: User activity. Login date, Login count, activity, job & sessions run etc.
• Reporting types:
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request

Resellers

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

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• 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
  • Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type: Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
• 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: The software allows for data to be extracted from the desktop solution.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • ODF
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • ODF
  • Other
• Other data import formats: Json

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)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: 99% to 99.9% on a clustered environment.; Service credits of between 1% and 7% if not met.
• Approach to resilience: Available on request
• Outage reporting: Public dashboard and email alert via Account Manager channels

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Customers can raise and update support tickets using our interactive online portal and/or email. Access to our portal is by invitation only, and requires a username and password. Interaction by email can be restricted to specific domains, email addresses, or disabled altogether. We also offer access by telephone for urgent requests, and will always attempt to verify the identity of the caller, either using our standard procedure, or one agreed with the customer.; Access to management interfaces are only available from the CDS network.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• 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

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: NQA
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 13/7/2021
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: N/A
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: No
• 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: ISO/IEC 27001
• Information security policies and processes: CDS is certificated to BS EN ISO27001 – Information Security Management System and registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. (DPA No. Z5255664), and is Cyber Essentials Plus certified. CDS ensures client information is securely maintained through our audited processes and procedures. These are detailed in our SYSOPS which form part of our ISO27001 accreditation which is independently audited twice yearly. Our SYSOPS cover personnel and IT security requirements. All staff are BPSS cleared at minimum. CDS endeavours to ensure that personal data is kept secure against unauthorised or unlawful loss or disclosure. CDS employs a dedicated Security manager (ITSM).

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Configuration and change management approach: CDS operate a mature Change Management process, which is certified to the ISO 20000 standard. We ensure that all configuration or service changes are put through a controlled Change Management process, to ensure that impact and risk are managed, quality is maintained, and that changes are planned, documented and approved. Impact and risk assessment includes security considerations. ; Our Change Register is underpinned by a Configuration Management toolset and process, which charts the lifecycle of configuration items, and allows for them to be linked to service transactions, such as incidents and changes.
• Vulnerability management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: CDS undertake periodic independent pen and vulnerability scanning of our networks and network services. This forms part of our ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation. ; CDS also undertake vulnerability scanning of client solutions during development and at the point of release. ; Nessus scans of the whole environment are performed weekly.; Any identified vulnerabilities are assessed based upon the threat type and business risk. Those issues requiring attention form part of a remediation plan. The individual items are logged and assigned a priority based upon severity and tracked through our ITIL service desk.
• Protective monitoring type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: Our perimeter networks are protected with DDoS mitigation layer which is further reinforced with threat detection and response as part of every ingress/egress point. IDS and IPS are in place on all firewalls and all suspicious activity is logged and alerted to a central location. Additionally all firewalls and networks are registered with the NCSC Early Warning service. Infrastructure device logs are reported to a centralised SIEM solution with profiling in place to detect malicious activities such as repeated, failed administrator login attempts as well as more sophisticated events indicating exfiltration attempts.
• Incident management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v3.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Incident management approach: CDS operate a mature Incident and Service Request Management process, certified to the ISO 20000 standard. The process is operated by our Service Management tool, which is interactive and can be configured to support the ticket workflow and metrics agreed with customers. Customers can report and update incidents via our interactive portal, email and telephone. Though we operate a core Incident Management policy and process, these can be tailored within customers Service Level Agreements to support common incidents and events. We operate a separate Major Incident Management process, which can provide incident reports, post-mortems etc., when criteria are triggered.

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 v3.0)

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity

  Fighting climate change

  CDS is committed to being an organisation that minimises its environmental impact, while establishing a sustainable environment for the benefit of staff, customers and suppliers. ; ; CDS is certified to the internationally recognised standard BS EN ISO 14001: 2004 – Environmental Management. The standard underpins our commitment to look after the environment, prevent negative environmental impacts, manage waste and reduce our carbon footprint. ; ; CDS is Planet Mark 3 accredited, helping us to transform society, the environment and economy by measuring our carbon and social data. We have also signed the UK SME Climate Change commitment and have pledged to halve our carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. ; ; The Bailie Group (of which CDS is part), is also certified to ISO 50001 Energy Management System, which focuses our efforts on continually improving energy performance. ; ; Our aims for 2024 are: ; ; - Maintain zero to landfill ; - Reduce energy consumption by 5% YOY ; - Install solar panels at our head office site.

  Tackling economic inequality

  CDS is committed to creating new businesses, new jobs and new skills within our local communities, designed to address economic inequality. ; ; Employment opportunities and training ; CDS commits to reducing the skills gap by providing apprenticeships, training opportunities and supporting ex-offenders in creating employment opportunities in our local communities. ; ; As a national company, CDS operates from three primary offices, each run as an autonomous business unit, managed by locally based teams. This regional structure has resulted in CDS becoming a community-focussed organisation and is committed to using local suppliers and subcontractors. ; ; Apprenticeships ; CDS has an ongoing commitment to recruit and provide job opportunities in our local communities through apprenticeships. In the past two years we have provided nine apprenticeships, of which four have become full-time employees. A further four are currently taking apprenticeship degrees via Leeds Beckett University. ; ; Supporting educational attainment and addressing skills gaps ; CDS is committed to supporting educational attainment to reduce the skills and employment gaps in the local communities in which we work. ; ; Initiatives include delivering careers talks in local schools about pursuing a digital career, career mentoring, mock interviews, CV advice and careers guidance. We also Provide work placements for school/university leavers and the unemployed: 1-6 weeks, more for internships ; ; Volunteering in the local community ; We make a valuable contribution to the community by supporting local charities and social enterprises. Each year our colleagues choose a local charity to be our charity of the year, that is aligned to our purpose and values. ; ; In 2024, we will be working in partnership with Business In The Community (BITC) in our quest to continually improve what we do, and operate as a responsible business that makes a positive impact in our community.

  Equal opportunity

  CDS regards its Equality and Diversity Policy as an integral part of its overall company strategy and is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among its workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. It recognises the value of working with differences, and not against them. Our aim is for a workforce that is truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel respected and able to achieve their full potential and enjoy a fulfilling career with us. ; ; CDS positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation (protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010). Our recruitment process is fair, equal, and non-discriminatory and works on the premise that the best person for the role will be offered the job. ; ; CDS is proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer (Level 1). With access to expert knowledge and guidance, we are committed to providing an accessible and inclusive recruitment process and working environment for everybody. ; ; In 2022 CDS invested in a new recruitment applicant tracking system (JobTrain), which includes an accessibility module to support applicants with disabilities. The system uses ReciteMe to offer a toolbar that helps neurodivergent candidates with their application. ; ; CDS gives all staff the chance to achieve their full potential. We deal with people solely based on merit and will ensure fair and equal treatment including appraisal - access to training - career development - job allocation - promotion - grievance and disciplinary matters. ; ; In 2024, in partnership with Business in the Community, we will be developing our Diversity & Inclusion Strategy and defining a set of key objectives to help measure progress and implement change.

Pricing

• Price: £40 a user a year
• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: No

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 bidteam@cds.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.