Prolinx Ltd

Prolinx Assured Cloud (PAC), Prolinx Above Official Sensitive Collaborative Working Environment

Prolinx Above Official Sensitive Collaborative Working Environment (CWE) is an assured, fully managed service including remote access, MS Office and collaboration tooling. This includes core Microsoft applications such as MS Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, SharePoint/File Storage and a unified communications option.

Features

• MS Office integration, features and selected applications
• Remote access methods such as VDI/Zero client devices
• Supported and operated in the UK by appropriately vetted staff
• ISO 9001, 20000, 14001 and 27001 compliant
• Application Packaging and Deployment options
• Backup, Archiving and Disaster Recovery options
• Device, Network and Platform Security Monitoring
• Prolinx is compliant with the Public Services (Social-Value) Act 2012

Benefits

• Remotely accessible
• Scalable to customer demand
• No large CAPEX required
• No internal hiring and training of specialist resource required
• Drives down total cost of ownership
• Rapid deployment versus developing an in-house solution
• Reduces risks when processing protectively marked data
• Able to fully integrate with other Prolinx Service Catalogue offerings
• NIST aligned and Cyber Essential Plus certified

£864.16 a user a month

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 pubsecfw@prolinx.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

517995151715133

Contact

Sam Howells
+44 (0) 330 180 0000
pubsecfw@prolinx.co.uk

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: Yes, but can also be used as a standalone service
• What software services is the service an extension to: Extension to Platform as a Service, Secure User Access and Deployed Bearer of Opportunity (DBoO).
• Cloud deployment model: Private cloud
• Service constraints: 1. A constraint is each individual new service cannot operate without CyDR assurance (for MOD clients). We will represent the proposed services to the assurers addressing the approach and risk control.; 2. Code of Connection for end user devices will be required.; 3. Users will require the appropriate security clearance to access the service.
• System requirements:
  • A secure and assured location for access devices (if applicable).
  • Prolinx secured access device (if required).
  • Need to gain relevant sponsorship, authority approval and assurance.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Gold:; P1 - Response within 30-mins, Resolution within 4-hours.; P2 - Response within 1-hour, Resolution within 8-hours.; P3 - Response within 3-hours, Resolution within 24-hours.; P4 - Response within 5-hours, Resolution within 40-hours.; Silver:; P1 - Response within 1-hour, Resolution within 8-hours.; P2 - Response within 2-hours, Resolution within 16-hours.; P3 - Response within 3-hours, Resolution within 24-hours.; P4 - Response within 5-hours, Resolution within 40-hours.; Bronze:; P1 - Response within 2-hours, Resolution within 12-hours.; P2 - Response within 3-hours, Resolution within 24-hours.; P3 - Response within 4-hours, Resolution within 40-hours.; P4 - Response within 5-hours, Resolution within 72-hours.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: None or don’t know
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: Onsite support
• Support levels: Prolinx will offer 1st line support for initial diagnosis, as well as 2nd and 3rd line support. Prolinx also offer technical account management and cloud support engineers. A customer support representative can also be appointed. Prolinx can also provide additional consultancy, Please refer to SFIA rate card for additional support costs.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: A Statement of Requirement (SoR) is to be provided by the customer that defines the scope associated with the requirement (including access method and user base).; Prolinx can provide on-line supporting material (User Guides) to assist customers to maximise the benefits of the capability.; On-site training can be provided and our Service Desk can be available to provide assistance and guidance to customers as required.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • ODF
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: Termination or migration will necessitate a four week period prior to any expiry of the contractual agreement; Prolinx and the customer will agree an exit plan which will include a mandatory service migration meeting covering: • The return of user generated data most appropriate to meet the exit and security requirements • Whether they wish their data to remain available for future use (i.e.; persistent storage). If the data is not required, it will be purged and destroyed in accordance with the requirements associated with the data BIL rating. • Whether they wish to extract their data. For data rated at BIL5, precautions will need to be put in place to ensure that the security of the data is not compromised. Data can be extracted in a variety of formats including XML, CSV and TXT. • Exit project plan • The compliance requirements for secure destruction of important data and storage media • Risk Assessments and agreed service cessation milestones • Final commercial reconciliation. Prolinx will agree a price for delivering the exit plan and will have fifteen days to transfer or destroy all user generated data within the Prolinx Assured Cloud Service.
• End-of-contract process: In line with G Cloud T&Cs at least 90 days notice of termination must be provided in writing. In the event of termination, all/any remaining service charges will still apply and will be payable on or before the termination date. Termination or expiry of the contractual agreement will initiate the Exit Project Plan as set out in the off-boarding section of this document.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: No
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: None or don’t know
• API: No
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: This is a Prolinx standardised CWE service offering featuring Microsoft Office, however, individual components may be able to be tailored based on the customer's specific requirements.; End user customisation is not guaranteed, however, would be analysed following receipt of a Statement of Requirement (SoR) or Request for Change from the customer.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Customer environments are logically segregated to prevent users and customers from accessing resources not assigned to them. Services which provide virtualized operational environments to customers ensure that customers are segregated via security management processes/controls at the network and hypervisor level. Prolinx continuously monitors service usage to project infrastructure needs to support availability commitments/requirements. Prolinx maintains a capacity planning model to assess infrastructure usage and demands at least monthly, and usually more frequently. In addition, the Prolinx capacity planning model supports the planning of future demands to acquire and implement additional resources based upon current resources and forecasted requirements.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Prolinx is able to provide a range of metrics as part of the monthly service management report. The monthly reporting is collaborative in its design and can cater for a range of customer requirements.
• 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

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: No
• 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
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type:
  • Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
  • 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: Users export data from their tenant using a mandated IMPEXing procedure.; Only pre-authorised/white-listed encrypted storage devices can be used.; Data export is limited to:; Within a single operation, no more than 100GB total file size is to be transferred, no more than 30,000 files and an individual file must be less than 15GB in size.
• Data export formats: Other
• Other data export formats:
  • All standard MS Office file extensions.
  • Any industry standard file extension compatible with the provisioned software.
• Data import formats: Other
• Other data import formats:
  • All standard MS Office file extensions.
  • Any industry standard file extension compatible with the provisioned software.

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: Prolinx currently provides SLAs for several services for Government Departments. Due to the rapidly evolving nature of Prolinx’s product offerings, it is recommended that SLAs are pre-agreed to satisfy user requirements. Prolinx offer well-architected solutions that leverage unique capabilities such as multiple [up to Tier 2] Secure Data centres that can ease the burden of achieving specific high availability SLA requirements.
• Approach to resilience: The Prolinx Business Continuity Plan details outage processes. Prolinx has developed a three-phased approach: Activation and Notification, Recovery, and Reconstitution Phases. This approach ensures that Prolinx performs BCP efforts in a methodical sequence, maximising the effectiveness of recovery and reconstitution thus minimising system outage time. Prolinx maintains a ubiquitous security control environment across all data centres. Each datacentre is built to physical, environmental, and security standards in an active-active configuration, employing an N+1 redundancy model, ensuring system availability in the event of component failure. In case of failure, sufficient capacity enables traffic to be load-balanced to the remaining sites. Customers are responsible for implementing contingency planning, training and testing for their systems hosted on PAC. Prolinx provides customers with the capability to implement a robust BCP, including the utilisation of frequent server instance back-ups, data replication, and the flexibility to place instances and store data within multiple geographically separated datacentres. Prolinx conducts due diligence when on-boarding and managing suppliers and, where possible, implements dual-sourcing; ensuring continuity of service from our critical suppliers. This supplier management procedure offers dual resiliency, ensuring that our sites are served by different suppliers guaranteeing both physical and corporate resiliency of supply for our critical systems.
• Outage reporting: Email alerts.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Limited access network (for example PSN)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Prolinx makes use of least privilege and have separation of duty and limits on each transactional privilege set. All these measures combine to an accepted standard practise which has satisfied already provisioned MoD and other Government contracts.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Limited access network (for example PSN)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users receive audit information on a regular basis
• How long user audit data is stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users receive audit information on a regular basis
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months
• How long system logs are stored for: At least 12 months

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: BSI
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 09/05/2021
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Prolinx does not write software. Prolinx does carry out 'scripting'
• 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: ISO/IEC 27001
• Information security policies and processes: Prolinx implements a security policy which is consistent with ISO 27001 and GovS007. This follows a business lead risk management and proportionate security process. Security controls which are used to satisfy the policy are an amalgamation of ISO 27002, NIST 800-53 and governance provided by the National Cyber Security Centre. ; Each tenant on our cloud platform undergoes a risk identification process taking into account the concept of use of our platform by the customer. Subsequently security controls are applied to reduce these risks which forms part of the architecture. ; Finally the implementation of these controls is independently verified by an NCSC IT Health Check. Verification of security controls is a through-life process and hence the effectiveness of these controls is regularly checked.; Prolinx continues to look at changes to ISO 27001 and GovS007 which results in a controlled change to our policies and the selection of security controls which ultimately supports the implementation of these policies.

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: Prolinx has a variety of methods already in use to support change and configuration management to track and identify components from cradle to grave. The design and change of any function is managed via key stages from initiation, planning and co-ordination through to validation and testing and early life support. This will be managed using ITIL methodologies and best practices.
• Vulnerability management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: Through a process of business based risk assessments we identify potential threats to our services. The risk assessment is regular updated to account for new threats.; Additionally we undertake regular IT Health Checks of all of our services using CHECK testers who help us understand any technical threats.; Patching is undertaken on a regular basis but generally within 14 days for routine patches and within 72 hours for critical patches. Antivirus patches and DAT updates are applied on a daily basis.; Our primary source of threat information is the NCSC and CPNI.
• Protective monitoring type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: The Prolinx monitoring platform can provide real-time views of availability statistics, as well as detailed monitoring and analysis of data from virtual switches, routers, servers and any other network devices. The Prolinx monitoring platform includes availability, security and integrity monitoring of the applications and infrastructure.; We continuously monitor for indicators of compromise (IoC) through the use of SIEM tooling, which are kept updated within the tool. ; With a 24x7 service desk, we respond to incidents almost immediately as soon as an IoC is discovered through the use of detailed instructions to reduce the impact.
• 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: The Service Desk manages incidents using a dedicated service management tool suite. Incidents can be raised by a telephone call or email. Incidents are classified and prioritised in accordance with the agreed SLAs. There are multiple types of classification and several levels of prioritisation that can have different response and resolution characteristics ranging from 30 minute responses with 4 hour resolutions to 4 hour responses with 48 hour resolutions with several levels in between. Incidents are managed to ensure that any impact is minimised and the situation is dealt with appropriately.

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)
  • Joint Academic Network (JANET)

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

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

  Fighting climate change

  Prolinx is committed to influencing our environment evidenced by our Environmental Policy to ensure that our operations are carried out with a commitment to protecting and enhancing the environment. We seek to comply with all relevant environmental legislation/regulation and aim to establish higher standards of environmental performance where these are practicable and appropriate. We have introduced energy policy drives for constant improvement in Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). The industry benchmark is currently 1.8 and we currently achieve a PUE of 1.2.; ; All staff comply with our Environmental Policy, each having a legal and moral obligation to carry out duties with concern for the environment. All contractors are also required to adopt environmental standards fully consistent with those of the Company and they are expected to achieve comparable levels of performance as a condition of their contract.; To implement our Environmental policy to support Climate Change we follow these practices:; 1. Minimise waste by evaluating operations and ensuring they are as efficient as possible.; 2. Minimise toxic emissions through the selection and use of its fleet and the source of its power requirement.; 3. Actively promote recycling both internally and amongst its customers and suppliers.; 4. Reduce to a minimum the environmental effect on all future developments and carry out an appraisal of the environmental effect of sourcing of raw material.; 5. Advocate employee involvement in all environmental matters, providing suitable training and support to all employees with regard to this environmental policy.; 6. Minimise any adverse environmental effects caused as a result of our activities, products and/or services adopting the principle of BATNEEC (Best Available Technique Not Entailing Excessive Costs).

  Covid-19 recovery

  Driving employment post Covid 19 is vital to us as a Small Medium Enterprise (SME) business. We have therefore created a standardised and complete approach to incorporating social value in our procurement of new contracts, through-life service delivery and commercial practice to support Covid 19 Recovery Employment initiatives. An example of a recent won contract; through evidence of SVS compliance to Employment Prolinx was able to recruit 2 new STEM roles.; Whilst increasing Employment plays a part in Covid 19 recovery Modernising Delivery and Increasing Productivity means that Prolinx also concentrates on how we can become more efficient. Prolinx is focused on becoming more efficient rather than more complex looking at key certifications and approaches that provide agility and a “common approach”.; Modernising our Delivery through MSP Principles allows us to structure SVS to address corporate performance and anything from a simple project to a complex programme by assuring Governance, Process, Tooling, Management Information (MI), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and most importantly People. Service delivery through ITIL4 ensures we integrate Social Value Management ‘as-a-Service’ within contracts and that the SVS can be adapted on an agile basis through Continual Service Improvement (CSI).; Prolinx has developed its own internal test and development environment where innovation and experimentation is encouraged, both to develop current technological patterns to find better ways to utilise the capability, but more importantly, to develop internal skillsets. These Innovation and Disruptive Technologies support Covid 19 Recovery.; Prolinx manages Cyber Security Risks through Cyber Essentials plus and ISO27001 certification to protect Prolinx as a company and its customers. This is vital for the ongoing growth and Covid 19 recovery.

  Tackling economic inequality

  Social economic inequality relates to disparities that individuals might have in both their economic and social resources that are linked to their social class. These disparities include, but aren’t limited to, their earnings, education, and/or income.; As a SME, we rely heavily on our people as they are the foundation of our company. We want everyone to have equal opportunities to succeed through training, personal development and in-work progression. Prolinx promotes economic equality by:; 1. Targeting harder to reach under-represented groups and communities.; 2. Providing entry-level employment and training opportunities for local people and develop future talent.; 3. Promoting fairness, inclusion, and respect (FIR) principles.; 4. Identifying/Managing modern slavery risks; Prolinx’s Ethical Policy is its commitment to ending slavery in all forms; cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishments; and any attempt to control or reduce freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Prolinx ensures that all employees, agents, and contractors are entitled to their human rights as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998. Prolinx will not enter any business arrangement with any person, company or organisation which fails to uphold the human rights of its workers or who breach the human rights of those affected by the organisation’s activities.; In supporting economic equality Prolinx is committed to employing ex Armed Forces where possible supporting the Armed Forces community and honoring their commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant. We evidence this by several ex Armed forces employed within the company providing insight and wisdom of the Armed Forces community.; Prolinx is committed to ensuring economic equality by ensuring employment and labour rights, social protection, care and family leave are supported by our compliance to Health, Financial and Education regulations embedded within our processes and procedures such as Health and Safety Documents and Employment guides.

  Equal opportunity

  The Prolinx SVS is founded on our core values and responsible leadership principles, underpinned by our Ethical Policy, and applies to all our employees/ party who undertakes activity on our behalf. It follows the national TOMs framework and outlines our commitment and accountability to our internal and external stakeholders for the role we play in their lives.; Tackling inequality in the contract workplace underpins our best practice.; Our People come first. We want everyone to have equal opportunities to grow and succeed through training, personal development and in work progression. Prolinx promotes workforce diversity by:; 1. Targeting harder to reach under-represented groups and communities.; 2. Providing entry-level employment and training opportunities for local people and develop future talent.; 3. Promoting fairness, inclusion, and respect (FIR) principles.; The Armed Forces Covenant is an agreement between the armed forces community, the nation, and the government. The covenant’s twin underlying principles are that members of the armed forces community should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services; and that special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given the most such as the injured or the bereaved. By signing this covenant, Prolinx is committed to support the Armed Forces community and has evidenced this by employing several ex Armed Forces personnel who are valuable members of the company.; We have a contractor process in place to ensure that in line with the modern slavery act we ensure that, in times of need, we can bring in short term hires. Prolinx does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, age, disability or sexual orientation therefore recruitment decisions are based solely on qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience and relevant business requirements.

  Wellbeing

  Social values are taken from government priorities, strategies, business cases for programmes and projects, through to procurement specifications, which includes people and their wellbeing.; Prolinx understands the need to consider the collective benefit to the community when assessing approaches to procurement however as vitally important is the support to the physical, emotional, and social wellbeing of our employees, sub-contractors and customers. By promoting a socially healthy environment this enables respectful and empathic engagements across the supply chain managing the effects of actions on others. By being aware of rights and responsibilities and able to manage emotions in a healthy way, Prolinx as a company lives and breathes a wellbeing ethos in its engagement with other communities. Physical and emotional wellbeing is equally important to us. We encourage a work life balance to support physical strength and mental strength as being able to recognise and express feelings promotes a healthy work environment.; Prolinx also ensures that Education and Training is in place to support our people.; Education and training gaps are identified through annual Personal Development Plans, which are captured in consultation between individuals and line managers. Education and training enables Individual Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose as key tenets of Wellbeing and preserves high company retention rates.; Prolinx as an SME believes work progression is key to employees being engaging and committed to their jobs. Promotion, upskilling through education and training supports work progression, keeps internal skillsets maintained and helps Prolinx retain our people.; Prolinx also provides and maintains safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work for all our employees, and to provide such information, training and supervision, as they need for this purpose. We also accept our responsibility for the health and safety of other personnel who may be affected by our activities.

Pricing

• Price: £864.16 a user a month
• 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 pubsecfw@prolinx.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.