EntServ UK Ltd part of the DXC Technologies Group

DXC Technology MLOps Accelerator and Advisory Services

DXC’s MLOps Accelerator and Advisory Services offering helps organisations to professionalise their AI initiatives by achieving the highest degree of MLOps maturity. Standardization and streamlining of ML lifecycle management means reduced deployment times from experiment to production, end-to-end visibility into all productionised models and resilient model operations supported by automation.

Features

  • Multidisciplinary team with broad expertise in the ML lifecycle
  • Provide structure and automation to lifecycle management of ML systems
  • Cloud agnostic: Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Advance monitoring: testing models, automated alerts, retraining for model deterioration
  • 3 engagement levels; MLOps Core, MLOps Integration, Managed MLOps
  • Automated monitoring of data quality: training and consumption levels
  • End-to-end traceability and reproducibility
  • Clustered infrastructures, flexible environments and micro service best practices
  • Responsible and ethical AI: explainable and bias free models
  • Library of community-based access to REST APIs

Benefits

  • Ensure models move from experimentation phase to production, increasing profitability
  • Reduce operations cost through automation and end-to-end monitoring
  • Increase business satisfaction with AI, fostering a culture of collaboration
  • Quickly deployable and built from native services
  • Service based customisation enabled due to modular solution design
  • Model versioning, monitoring, retraining increases service robustness/decreases number of incidents
  • MLOps: scalable, automated deployment, fully secured environment
  • The CI/CD pipeline manages the change/release management process
  • Multi-tenant shared environments allow for professional collaboration
  • Business process efficiency improved by integrating AI results

Pricing

£557.00 to £1,822.00 a unit a day

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

Framework

G-Cloud 13

Service ID

4 5 1 1 6 4 6 7 9 6 4 0 4 6 1

Contact

EntServ UK Ltd part of the DXC Technologies Group DXC Frameworks Team
Telephone: +44 330 105 8389
Email: ukitenders@dxc.com

Service scope

Software add-on or extension
Yes
What software services is the service an extension to
Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services
Cloud deployment model
  • Public cloud
  • Private cloud
  • Hybrid cloud
Service constraints
None
System requirements
  • Microsoft software licenses required, can be provided
  • AWS software licenses required, can be provided

User support

Email or online ticketing support
Email or online ticketing
Support response times
Within 1 hour during normal UK business hours
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, at an extra cost
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
Synchronous conferencing is available via Microsoft Skype or Microsoft Teams, with dial-in options available.
Web chat accessibility testing
Not tested by Reseller, but Microsoft are conducting testing and implementing feedback into their Synchronous conferencing packages. This will include screen-reading and navigation capabilities.
Onsite support
Yes, at extra cost
Support levels
Details available on application
Support available to third parties
Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

Getting started
We provide a mix of training options for users from online user based training, user documentation and web based eLearning style training courses. We also provide support for ongoing training and exposure to new features as they are released.
Service documentation
Yes
Documentation formats
  • HTML
  • PDF
End-of-contract data extraction
Details upon application
End-of-contract process
A customer may terminate a Subscription at any time during its Term; however, they must pay all amounts due and owing before the termination is effective. Included in the price of the contract is all the hardware and software as agreed at the time of the contract.

Using the service

Web browser interface
Yes
Supported browsers
  • Internet Explorer 11
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
Application to install
No
Designed for use on mobile devices
No
Service interface
No
User support accessibility
WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
API
No
Customisation available
Yes
Description of customisation
The architecture of the accelerator is designed to be completely customisable to the clients needs, the model is also able to be adapted to the clients needs and desires.
Depending on the way the client wants to engage with MLOps, either the client can customise it, or the DXC MLOps team can customise it for them.
The customisation can be done through changing code within the scripts of the pipelines deployed within the accelerator.

Scaling

Independence of resources
DXC will survey the users you have and the type of licenses they need. We will also look at the functions they will perform. We will then provide this data to Microsoft/AWS in order to properly size the infrastructure required.

Analytics

Service usage metrics
Yes
Metrics types
A technical dashboard is deployed, showing the performance of the accelerator, for example, accumulated costs and forecasts, CPU utilisation for the different clusters, endpoint usage and model metrics. These widgets are customisable to the client and what they would like to see. For example, endpoint requests, endpoint predictions, evaluation pipeline status, training pipeline status and model maintenance service pipeline executions
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
Microsoft, AWS

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
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
  • Other locations
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
Data sanitisation process
Yes
Data sanitisation type
  • Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
  • Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
Equipment disposal approach
A third-party destruction service

Data importing and exporting

Data export approach
The data can be exported at all points during the accelerator, by going into the storage account set up specifically for the MLOps accelerator. The predictions data/output from the model can be exported through a REST API, but this can be customised to meet the clients need, for example to an EDGE device.
Data export formats
  • CSV
  • ODF
  • Other
Other data export formats
  • JSON
  • TXT
  • JPEG
  • PNG
  • Customisable to any data format
Data import formats
  • CSV
  • ODF
  • Other
Other data import formats
  • JSON
  • TXT
  • JPEG
  • PNG
  • Customisable to any data format

Data-in-transit protection

Data protection between buyer and supplier networks
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • Other
Other protection between networks
Security-hardened infrastructure that Microsoft provides, controls and monitors 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Microsoft uses a variety of technologies to block unauthorized traffic to and within Microsoft datacenters. Connections that are established between customers and Microsoft datacenters are encrypted by using industry-standard Transport Layer Security (TLS). This establishes a secured browser-to-server connection, which helps provide data confidentiality and integrity between the desktop and datacenter. A redundant network provides failover capability and helps ensure network availability.
Data protection within supplier network
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • Other
Other protection within supplier network
Microsoft uses several network security technologies to protect client's cloud services and data, and block attacks. •Firewalls and perimeter firewalls •Intrusion detection systems/intrusion prevention systems detect and identify suspicious or undesirable activities that indicate intrusion •Partitioned LANs •Multi-tier topology •Traffic isolation •Cross-premises connectivity enables you to establish connections between a virtual network and multiple on-premises sites, or other virtual networks in Azure, by using VPN gateways or third-party virtual appliances. •Access Control Lists •Azure Security Center provides a centralized portal from which you can secure resources you place in Azure

Availability and resilience

Guaranteed availability
Details upon application
Approach to resilience
Details upon application
Outage reporting
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/support/trust-center/
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/security/

Identity and authentication

User authentication needed
Yes
User authentication
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Username or password
Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/support/trust-center/
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/security/
Access restriction testing frequency
At least once a year
Management access authentication
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Username or password

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
Yes
Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
Lloyd’s Register
ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
28/05/2018
What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
Available on Request
ISO 28000:2007 certification
No
CSA STAR certification
Yes
CSA STAR accreditation date
18/06/2020
CSA STAR certification level
Level 1: CSA STAR Self-Assessment
What the CSA STAR doesn’t cover
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/support/trust-center/
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/security/
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
ISO/IEC 27001
Information security policies and processes
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/support/trust-center/
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/security/

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
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/support/trust-center/
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/security/
Vulnerability management type
Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
Vulnerability management approach
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/support/trust-center/
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/security/
Protective monitoring type
Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
Protective monitoring approach
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/support/trust-center/
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/security/
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
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/support/trust-center/
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/security/

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
Yes
Connected networks
  • Public Services Network (PSN)
  • NHS Network (N3)
  • Joint Academic Network (JANET)
  • Health and Social Care Network (HSCN)

Social Value

Fighting climate change

Fighting climate change

As a responsible business, with a commitment to environmental sustainability, we set and exceed ambitious environmental goals to mitigate our climate impacts. Some of these commitments include:

• Implementing a virtual-first business model to enable a remote workforce, thereby reducing our office footprint, employee commuting and business travel
• Pursuing efficiency programs for offices and data centres to reduce energy consumption
• Procuring renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions
• Reducing waste generation, increasing recycling and working with suppliers to minimise waste and harmful environmental impacts
• Promoting sustainability and resource efficiency within our supply chain
• Designing solutions and services to optimise their environmental performance
• Providing sustainable products and services to help customers achieve their environmental goals.

This past year, DXC Technology have run the following initiatives to drive our environmental goals.

Green Skills Week – Our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) ambassadors organised a virtual activity for Green Skills Week, teaching 50 young people how digital transformation is driving the Green Industrial Revolution, and giving them work experience in the technology industry. The Green Skills Week is an initiative that supports the Government’s Green Industrial Revolution, whilst tackling unemployment.

Conservation Awareness – In 2021, our Lancashire office organised a series of virtual activities to mark the week of Earth day. Employees shared sustainability tips each day on our Facebook for Work platform, Workplace, and participated in a competition to ‘Build the Best Bug Hotel’ out of used, recyclable domestic materials, raising awareness for the concept of circular economy.

Awards
DXC Technology holds a Gold Award from EcoVadis for 2021, the world’s most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. This places DXC in the top 5% of companies assessed by EcoVadis for environmental and sustainable procurement practices.
Covid-19 recovery

Covid-19 recovery

DXC Technology has implemented recommended COVID-19 Secure Requirements across our UK centres. These measures include:

• Maximising ventilation and fresh air on site. This has been implemented by maximising natural ventilation – such as opening doors, windows and air vents when possible
• Implementing several measures to ensure two meters of social distance between staff on site.
• Enhanced our site cleaning to reduce the chance of contact transmission.
• Our staff are committed to:
o Engaging and co-operating with the guidelines to ensure the controls are applied diligently
o Working from home – 90% of our UK workforce have a home-working arrangement, which has not only ensured the safety of our employees during the pandemic but also meant no material disruption to the delivery of vital services to our customers.

Supporting local Redundancies – Our DXC Erskine Technology campus hired over 70 local people who had experienced pandemic-related job loss, having worked in the hospitality industry, transport sector, and in Glasgow Airport. The new hires were retrained in end-to-end processes for rebuilding digital devices, enabling them to change their careers and move further into the IT industry. New hires were able to stay with DXC if they chose; while for some, DXC provided a temporary support net in a difficult time, and others it has been a positive, long-term career change.

Supporting Public Services - DXC also played a critical role in the continuity of vital public services, including providing the IT equipment and infrastructure underpinning the Nightingale Hospital in London and equipping the Government departments with the means to move large numbers of staff to home-working environments. DXC and its staff received wide-scale praise from Government for its vital role in supporting civil servants in unprecedented and difficult conditions.
Tackling economic inequality

Tackling economic inequality

STEM Learning Partnership
DXC Technology delivers its STEM initiatives in partnership with STEM Learning. DXC works with STEM Learning to find relevant, local opportunities for outreach across the UK, and continued to do this virtually throughout the pandemic. Through STEM Learning, it is possible for DXC to connect with any of up to 230,000 schools in the UK.

In 2021, DXC won the award for Most Inspirational North East Technology Employer North East STEM Awards. DXC Technology’s STEM Ambassadors were recognised for continuing to provide a variety of STEM activities online. Some of these activities include:

LGBTQ+ Diversity in STEM – DXC’s STEM ambassadors and our UK Pride Business Resource Group hosted a Lunch and Learn session on 23 June 2021 to mark Alan Turing’s birthday and commemorate the contributions he made to STEM and the LGBTQ+ community. The Lunch and Learn helped build awareness of the importance of LGBTQ+ figures in STEM.

STEM Role Models - STEM Ambassadors in DXC’s Early Careers programme created a video detailing their graduate and apprentice experiences in DXC as an IT company. The video was distributed in a virtual STEM pack to schools in the local Lancashire area to encourage young people to consider a career in STEM. The video helped make careers in STEM relatable by providing role models, ‘busting’ myths about working in the IT industry, and illustrating the diversity of career paths available.

Charity and Philanthropy
Many of DXC's charitable activities in the UK are run by DXC's employees. With the support of our DXC Cares Programme, we foster a culture where people can contribute to what is important to them. Staff are also supported to volunteer, enabling a greater impact in local communities. The DXC Cares Programme facilities our culture of community and voluntary engagement.
Equal opportunity

Equal opportunity

Equal Opportunities Policy
DXC Technology Equal Opportunities policy makes it clear that all current and former employees, applicants, customers, suppliers and visitors at DXC must receive equal treatment and that unlawful discrimination based on protected characteristics is prohibited. The policy applies to recruitment, pay and conditions, training, appraisals, promotions, conduct at work, disciplinary and grievance procedures, and termination of employment.

Mandatory Training
DXC requires all UK employees to complete mandatory online Diversity & Equal Opportunities training.

Anti-Harassment and Bullying Policy
DXC’s Anti-Harassment and Bullying policy prohibits the harassment or bullying of DXC staff including consultants, contractors or agency workers as well as our customers.

IDEAS Programme
The IDEAS Programme promotes Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Allyship and Storytelling across the business.

Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (ENEI)
In 2020, the ENEI helped DXC understand how to create an inclusive environment where diversity can thrive and develop our Diversity & Inclusion strategy.

Employee Resource Groups
DXC's Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are local, passionate employees who work alongside the ideas programme to raise awareness and foster change.

The Dandelion Programme
The Dandelion Programme is DXC's initiative to recruit people from within the autism community.

Apprentices & Young People
DXC works with local colleges, universities and national training providers to hire apprentices into the UKI business.

STEM Learning Partnership
DXC delivers its STEM initiatives in partnership with STEM Learning, the UK's largest provider of education and careers support in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Awards
In 2021, DXC received top score of 100 in the Disability Equality Index the third consecutive year.

DXC won the 2021 Comparably Award for Best CEO for Diversity and was listed as one of Comparably’s 2021 Top Companies for Diversity.

DXC won the award for Most Inspirational North East Technology Employer at the 2021 North East STEM Awards.
Wellbeing

Wellbeing

DXC Technology Programmes
DXC Technology wellbeing initiatives in the UK and Ireland.

Mental Health First Aiders initiative and recognition platform
DXC launched a Mental Health Support Programme across our UK and Ireland region, where DXC Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) provide additional wellbeing support to DXC's people. Similar to certified first aiders (whose focus is on physical health in the Workplace), MHFAs will focus on the mental wellbeing of our people by offering support to those experiencing issues related to their mental health and wellbeing.

Employee Assistance Programme
The DXC Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is a service designed for supporting the personal matters of our people, such as bereavement, family issues or tax support. The services are available 24/7, 365 days a year, and include counselling services, online CBT and critical incident support.

Support for Virtual First
DXC provides resources and support to employees to ensure their wellbeing is fully supported whilst working from home. Examples of these resources are below.
• Mindfulness Timeouts: Regular “Mindfulness Timeouts”
• DXC Gear: DXC’s internal Virtual First equipment provider.
• DXC University: DXC’s internal learning platform. It provides a range of advice, from saying socially connected, being productive, and virtual etiquette.
• Online Learning: DXC provides thousands of materials on wellbeing topics on DXC University, open and free to all employees.
• Building Resilience in Your Personal and Professional Life: Helps enable learners to stay productive, positive and professional during crises such as pandemics.
• DXC Remote Working Tips: is a handbook to help employees maintain their wellbeing whilst working remotely and work securely.

Wellbeing Events
• Mental Resilience Session
• Managing Anxiety Sessions
• Global Webcast: Building Care and Community Around Employee Mental Health
• Mental Health Workshop
• Alcohol Awareness Session

Pricing

Price
£557.00 to £1,822.00 a unit a day
Discount for educational organisations
No
Free trial available
No

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