Facts and Dimensions Ltd

Private Facts and Dimensions Azure SQL Databases

Do you have lots of structured/unstructured CSV, Excel, PDFs, Word docs etc with data you need in a SQL Database? Eg monthly board reports, internal datasets, etc.

We process them and put the data into your own Azure Database.

Features

• Data from your internally produced files
• Directly query the data via OLEDB, ADO.NET, ODBC, etc.
• Fully secure access
• Access original source data and see audit trail.
• Your own customisable cloud database to access the data
• Any structured/unstructured data can be done, PDFs, Excel files, etc

Benefits

• Enjoy highest possible confidence in the quality of the data
• Same version of the truth as other users
• Up and running in <5minutes
• Data loaded within 1 business day, longer if really unusual
• We can quickly create a database for any sector
• No data too messy and changeable

£500,000 a licence a year

• Free trial available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  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 digitalmarketplace_gcloud14@factsanddimensions.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

532921995705810

Contact

Filipe McManus
07985143916
digitalmarketplace_gcloud14@factsanddimensions.co.uk

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Private cloud
• Service constraints: Service is supplied via Azure SQL Database. However we can supply an Azure MySQL or an Azure PostgreSQL version if required.
• System requirements: Software to access a database (eg Excel, MSSQL, Access, etc)

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: 99% within 4 hours between 8am and 6pm business days.; ; Mostly within minutes.
• 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: Onsite support
• Support levels: Unlimited email, telephone, onsite, screen-share, forum support; ; Customers will always deal with one of the company experts. Commonly called "Tier 3".; ; Online forum.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: 1: Onsite or screen-share training, 2hrs.; 2: Onsite or screen-share setting up access to the Azure SQL Database.; 3: User manual.; 4: Forum with additional info.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats: PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: Data is all held in an Azure database that only us and the customer can access. They can extract all the data using SQL. If the user wants to host the Azure SQL database instead of us they can.
• End-of-contract process: The user can take a copy of their database before we delete it.

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: Users get their own Azure SQL Database. In it they can:; ; 1: Link to tables in the Facts and Dimensions Azure databases.; 2: Create views.; ; Users from there will create their own tools/reports/dashboards linked to the Azure database

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Azure Elastic Database manages the demand across all user databases in the pool. As more users come online Azure allows instant scaling.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Azure provide detailed logs of all queries run on the databases. The user can ask to see them.
• Reporting types: Reports on request

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
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
• User control over data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Datacentre security standards: Managed by a third party
• Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Penetration testing approach: In-house
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Encryption of all physical media
  • Other
• Other data at rest protection approach: Data is stored in Azure. It is backed up nightly. It is also geo-replicated.; ; In case of Private Facts and Dimensions service, user sends files encrypted with a password to our IP restricted SFTP service. We extract the data for loading into their SQL database, encrypted using ENCRYPTBYPASSPHRASE.
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type: Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
• Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Data can be exported using any common database connection method, e.g. ODBC (Excel, Access), SQL SSIS, SQL Linked Server, etc.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • ODF
  • Other
• Other data export formats: Any
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • ODF
  • Other
• Other data import formats:
  • Any
  • You supply the data as is and we process it

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: Other
• Other protection between networks: Users connect directly to their own SQL Azure Database which is also limited to their own IP address. They have no access to the underlying SQL Server.; ; In case of Private Facts and Dimensions service, the user submits their password protected files via secure SFTP. We extract them and process the data and apply encryption using ENCRYPTBYPASSPHRASE so data sits in our database encrypted. User uses DECRYPTBYPASSPHRASE when querying their data.; ; Alternatively, we use out software on customer's network so their data never leaves their network.
• Data protection within supplier network: Other
• Other protection within supplier network: Using Azure's SQL Database security. Users connect directly to their Azure SQL Database using their own unique SQL Auth username and password. Plus connections is restricted by IP address.

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Azure website quote: "We guarantee at least 99.9% of the time customers will have connectivity between their Web or Business Microsoft Azure SQL Database and our Internet gateway.". We also use geo-replication for further availability resilience.
• Approach to resilience: The data is processed inhouse and uploaded to our Azure database. The inhouse copy is backed up offsite.; The Azure copy is backed up nightly, it is also mirrored on the Azure UK South site and geo-replicated to the Azure UK West site.
• Outage reporting: Forum update and email alert.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Other user authentication: Restricted by customer's IP address
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: As per DSPT, SIRO manages all logins. Each user has access to the areas that they require for their work. Access is reviewed monthly. Limitations include access via company recognised IP addresses and username and password.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Description of management access authentication: IP Restriction

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: At least 12 months

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: No
• Other security certifications: Yes
• Any other security certifications: Data Security & Protection Toolkit (DSPT)

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: Other
• Other security governance standards: Data Security & Protection Toolkit (DSPT) – All National Data Guardian’s (NDG) data security standards have been met (https://www.dsptoolkit.nhs.uk); ; Note: DSPT is the successor to IGT.
• Information security policies and processes: Our policies and processes are as per DSPT

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Each user database comes with a view to show changes to table definitions.; ; If a change to a table could affect users' queries (i.e. changes other than additional columns), then a change proposal is made on the forum for users to comment on with a time set for when the change will be made. If necessary customers can access a beta copy to assess impact.; ; History of table definitions are recorded.; ; Changes are assessed for potential security impact, if applicable.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: Using Azure Advanced Threat Detection.; ; Any fixes/patches are deployed within 24hrs. None necessary to date.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: On Azure, we use Advanced Threat Protection.; ; On forum and email we check the logs at least once per month.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: We manage incidents as per DSPT.; ; We have a monthly Business Operational Planning meeting where incidents, not already raised, are discussed. Incidents are recorded in our incident log.

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: Yes
• Connected networks:
  • NHS Network (N3)
  • Health and Social Care Network (HSCN)

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  Fighting climate change

  Fighting climate change

  We can load any datasets into the customer's database. This is a private service and so the data we load is only what the customer requets.

Pricing

• Price: £500,000 a licence a year
• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: You can access our Public Facts And Dimensions service to get an idea of what it is like to access data via Azure.

Service documents

• Pricing document

  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 digitalmarketplace_gcloud14@factsanddimensions.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.