SOMERFORD ASSOCIATES LIMITED

Confluent Kafka - Real-time Data Stream Processing & Analytics, Data in Motion, Apache Flink

Kafka’s founders Confluent sets Organisations’ data in motion Real-time/Digital Transformation/Edge/Citizen Data 360 View/Personalisation/Self-Service/Continuity/Data connectivity Streamlining Defence/Central Agencies' Operational decisions Cross-Departmental Data sharing Smart Supply Chain/Logistics Event-driven microservices, modernising legacy & connecting hybrid cloud systems Delivering real-time usage/analytics, streaming ETL. Flink/Stream processing Available on AWS Marketplace.

Features

• Available everywhere from multi-cloud, private cloud, on-premise and hybrid environments.
• ~200 connectors to integrate with popular data sources and sinks.
• Stream Governance to discover, understand and trust your data streams.
• ksqlDB to run continuous stream processing apps with lightweight SQL.
• Enterprise-grade security features to upload strict security and compliance requirements.
• Multi-language development support (including Java, C++, Python, Go, .NET).
• Extended Apache Kafka protocol support with MQTT and REST Proxies.
• Schema Registry to ensure data compatibility between producers and consumers.
• Complete Event Streaming Platform with unlimited data retention.
• Global resilience delivering highly available, consistent and durable platform anywhere.

Benefits

• Run at massive scale cost-effectively without the operational burden.
• Guaranteed 99.99% uptime SLA for multi-zone clusters.
• Zero downtime Kafka upgrades and bug fixes.
• Committer-driven expertise, with 24x7x365 support available from the Kafka experts.
• Deploy on bare-metal, virtual-machines, cloud-native Kubernetes or fully-managed service.
• Enable developers to build real-time apps quickly, reliably, and securely.
• Expert services and training to support your data maturity journey.
• Vibrant partner and community (60,000+) ecosystem.
• Lower total cost of ownership of platform vs open-source alternatives.
• Enterprise-ready platform proven in mission-critical production deployments at scale.

• 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 info@somerfordassociates.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

568514552357476

Contact

Penny Harrison
07897075103
info@somerfordassociates.com

About your service

• Service categories:

  Systems Infrastructure Software

  Storage

  Data replication and protection

  • Storage Replication Software
  • Systems and Data Migration Software
  • Fabric and Appliance-Based Replication Software
  • Replication Management Software

  Storage infrastructure and device management

  • Host-Based File Systems and Volume Management Software
  • Storage Access and Path Management Software
  • Storage Acceleration Software
  • Other Storage Management and Infrastructure Software
• Multi cloud support: Yes

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: Founded by the developers of Apache Kafka, Confluent provides a truly cloud-native experience, completing Kafka with holistic enterprise-grade features to unleash developer productivity, operate efficiently at scale, and meet all of your architectural requirements. Underpinning the platform is our 99.99% uptime SLA and committer-driven expertise, support and services.
• Cloud deployment model:
  • Public cloud
  • Private cloud
  • Hybrid cloud
• Service constraints: No
• System requirements: No specific requirements

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Mon-Fri 9am-5:30pm excl bank holidays customers receive an initial response within one business hour
• 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: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: We provide support from priority 1 to priority 4 cases on any existing configuration or part of the platform that is in total or partial failure as well as not working as expected. We also provide configuration guidance and recommendations for use cases. Each customer receives their own Account Manager who works closely with Support and ensures that cases can be followed up. Somerford's Support Desk is available as a value added service in addition to the maintenance and support purchased alongside the license.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Confluent can provide (for an additional cost) on-site, off-site and online training.; Confluent provide comprehensive documentation on our website, including quick-start guides and API documentation.; Confluent provides demo applications to introduce the concepts of Apache Kafka, Stream Processing, KSQL and Streaming ETL.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • ODF
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: Users may use any open-source or Supported Kafka client to read all of their data from their managed clusters.; Users may also configure Connectors to sink data from their managed clusters into an external system (i.e. S3, GCS, RDBMS).
• End-of-contract process: In the run up to the end of a contract, Somerford and Confluent will consult with the customer. The purpose of this is to understand their level of satisfaction and desire to continue. The customer will be provided with a price to continue using the software for an additional term, e.g. 12 months. Prices for additional modules are also shared.
• Documentation accessibility standard: EN 301 549

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: EN 301 549
• Description of service interface: Confluent Platform includes: Apache Kafka Brokers, Zookeeper, Schema Registry, Kafka Connect, ksqlDB, REST Proxy, Control Center, Confluent Server, Confluent for Kubernetes, Confluent Connectors.; ; Confluent platform requires highly trained, mathematically-oriented IT technologists and operators working at engineering offices and data centres. These users must be able to ascertain and respond to contextual information and alerts in real-time and therefore the intended users do not include the cognitively disabled or the blind.
• Accessibility standards: EN 301 549
• Accessibility testing: Testing is based on general product knowledge.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: The Confluent REST APIs provide a RESTful interface to a Confluent cluster, making it easy to produce and consume messages, view the state of the cluster, and perform administrative actions without using the native Kafka protocol or clients.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • Open API (also known as Swagger)
  • HTML
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Users can customise the service with the following:; ; - Choice of Cloud Vendor (GCP/AWS/Azure),; - Deployment location (London/Dublin/etc.),; - Throughput and retention specifications,; - High availability requirements (single or multi-AZ),; - Networking options (e.g. Internet-facing, Private Link, Transit Gateway, VPC/VNet Peering).; - Buyers can decide these whenever they provision a cluster through the UI.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Confluent Cloud Dedicated Clusters are designed for critical production workloads with high traffic or private networking requirements and support single-tenant single-tenant deployments with a 99.95% uptime SLA for Single-Zone, and 99.99% for Multi-Zone architectures.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Metrics in Confluent Cloud are available either through first-class integrations with third-party monitoring providers or by directly querying the Confluent Cloud Metrics API. Users who would like to monitor Confluent Cloud are encouraged to use an integration to reduce the operational burden of monitoring. The Confluent Cloud Metrics API supports a diverse set of querying patterns to support usage and performance analysis over time. A list of metrics is available in the Confluent Cloud Metrics API Metrics Reference.; ; Confluent Platform brokers and clients also report many internal metrics. You can deploy Confluent Control Center for out-of-the-box Kafka cluster monitoring.
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
• Resource tagging: No
• FOCUS resource tagging: No

Resellers

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

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Developed Vetting (DV)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations:
  • United Kingdom
  • Other locations
• User control over data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 4.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Encryption of all physical media
  • Other
• Other data at rest protection approach: Physical access controls are inherited from the underlying Cloud Vendor hosting Confluent Cloud (I.e. AWS, GCP, Azure)
• Data sanitisation process: No
• Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users may use any open-source or Supported Kafka client to read all of their data from their managed clusters.; Users may also configure Connectors to sink data from their managed clusters into an external system (i.e. S3, GCS, RDBMS).
• Data export formats: Other
• Other data export formats: Any format of their choosing.
• Data import formats: Other
• Other data import formats: Any format of their choosing.

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • Other
• Other protection between networks: Confluent Cloud supports public internet connectivity and private networking solutions. You can access Confluent Cloud Dedicated clusters through secure internet endpoints, Private Link connections, VPC/VNet peering, or AWS Transit Gateway. All Basic and Standard clusters are accessible through secure internet endpoints. All connections to Confluent Cloud are encrypted with TLS and require authentication using API keys.; ; Confluent Cloud clusters with internet endpoints are protected by a proxy layer that prevents some types of DoS, DDoS, syn flooding, and other network-level attacks. Confluent Cloud clusters using VPC peering, AWS PrivateLink, or AWS Transit Gateway are not accessible from the public internet.
• Data protection within supplier network:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Confluent provides an uptime SLA of 99.95% for Single-Zone and 99.99% for Multi-Zone Standard and Dedicated Clusters. If Confluent does not meet the Service Level, the Customer will be eligible to receive a Service Credit as described in the Confluent Cloud Service Level Agreement.
• Approach to resilience: Confluent Cloud ensures a minimum of 3* replica copies of each message are stored. Where specified, we deploy across 3 AZs in a region to ensure that even in the loss of an AZ that no data is lost and that the service continues to be available. We can provide further information on our overall architecture and designs for resiliency upon request.
• Outage reporting: Email alerts and a public dashboard.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Management interfaces are restricted to the VPC to which the service is peered. Support access is limited to those individuals to whom an invitation for support access has been sent via email. Customers decide who in their organisation has access to the support portal.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • 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: User-defined
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: User-defined
• How long system logs are stored for: User-defined

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards:
  • ISO/IEC 27001
  • Other
• Other security governance standards: SOC-2 Type I, II, III and HIPAA
• Information security policies and processes: Confluent has an information security committee that is made up of members of both the technical teams and management teams including Board and CTO. Policies are set and reviewed by this board and implemented by the various teams. There are a number of tools that log, enforce and report on any violations. We review process in line with ISO 27001.
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Code changes follow the Confluent agile development process. Changes are initiated, tracked and reviewed by product or area teams. JIRA tickets are used to track significant planned changes, for features/bug fixes. Sprintplanning by each team/team lead or manager determine which major changes are executed in the next sprint. The change is submitted via GitHub and must be reviewed by another team member and quality control testing before the change is applied. Changes from external contributors (to OS) are submitted via GitHub and have the same review policy. Post implementation reviews are performed to monitor any issues introduced by the change.
• Vulnerability management type: Undisclosed
• Vulnerability management approach: Risks are identified whenever both planned (i.e. environment changes) or unplanned e.g. vulnerability identified in software used. The CIST team identifies the risk associated with the vulnerability and documents a plan with the appropriate steps to remedy this. The CIST team reviews a number of sources to identify potential threats.
• Protective monitoring type: Undisclosed
• Protective monitoring approach: Security Incidents are handled by The Confluent Incident Response Team. This triages the incident to understand the size, scale, affected systems if any and potential losses of any data. The appropriate response is then formulated according to this. This is all tracked and logged according to formal processes.
• Incident management type: Undisclosed
• Incident management approach: Security Incidents are handled by Confluent staff in either our IT/Facilities department (for physical security incidents) or in our Customer Operations / Support department (for software, computer, and network security incidents). Please review our SOC 2 report for further details related to our security controls environment. Users report security issues by either raising a support ticket, and / or escalating through the escalation process to the Confluent Manager or Director of Customer Operations.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: Yes

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 v4.0)

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: Confluent Cloud: https://www.confluent.io/get-started/; ; Confluent Platform: https://www.confluent.io/get-started/?product=self-managed; ; Confluent Private Cloud: https://www.confluent.io/get-started/?product=self-managed
• Link to free trial: Confluent Cloud: https://www.confluent.io/get-started/ Confluent Platform: https://www.confluent.io/get-started/?product=self-managed Confluent Private Cloud: https://www.confluent.io/get-started/?product=self-managed

Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)

• Less than £250,000: 1%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 1%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 1%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 1%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 1%
• Over £5,000,001: 1%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO 9001 certification: SGS
• ISO 9001 accreditation date: Tuesday 15 March 2022
• What the ISO 9001 doesn’t cover: As our staff are a fully remote workforce the company physical office location is not covered. Clause 7.1.5 (calibration) is not in the scope. ISO 9001 does not cover financial processes.
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: F416f438-c625-443c-8b8d-a1b8f3b804e3
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: 8d0e7cb8-30a3-4374-b713-d15f8d7f0c7d
• Other security certifications: Yes
• Any other security certifications: IASME Cyber Assurance Level 1 Certificate

Social value

• Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery:

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 1: Fair work: That offers fair wages and good working conditions. Help people get a job, stay in work, and progress in their careers, with good employment opportunities across the country. Notes: Where there is a large proportion of labour costs in the contract, commercial teams should consider MAC in Outcome 1 as a priority

    • New or retained jobs on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b, 1c and 1d
    • Providing opportunities for, and measuring and monitoring of, staff workforce conditions over time, including employee engagement, involvement in decision-making and satisfaction and adapting to any changes in the results, with clear processes for acting on issues identified
    • Employment contracts that reflect actual hours worked; steps taken to ensure employees understand their contracts and have the ability to review and adjust them if actual hours regularly exceed contracted hours
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about, and feel empowered to, address their physical wellbeing
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about and feel empowered to report and address bullying and harassment
    • Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
    • Measures to support in-work progression to help people in the contract workforce, to move into higher paid work by developing new skills relevant to the contract
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
    • Outline policies and practices to be applied to or put in place for the contract to mitigate and manage modern slavery risks, including: Pre-employment checks, recruitment practices. Workplace conditions, safeguarding plans and processes in place and regular monitoring with relevant groups considered, which may include sampling

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 2: Skills for growth: Supporting growth sectors and addressing skills gaps.

    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 3: Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chains: Support economic growth through enabling resilient businesses, opportunities for small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises

    • Activities that demonstrate a collaborative way to work with a diverse range of businesses as part of the supply chain
    • Plans for positive actions with community groups.

  • Mission: Make Britain a clean energy superpower: To cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero

    Policy Outcome 4: Sustainable procurement practices: Reducing carbon footprints, minimising waste, and promoting the use of clean energy and green technologies.

    • Understanding of opportunities for additional environmental benefits delivery in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
    • Delivery of additional environmental benefits through the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
    • Understanding of how to influence staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders through the delivery of the contract to support climate and nature protection and improvement

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 6: Employment and training: For those who face barriers to employment

    • Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
    • Offering a range of quality opportunities with routes of progression if appropriate, e.g. T Level industry placements, students supported into higher level apprenticeships.
    • Understanding of the issues affecting inequality in employment, skills and pay in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors. Measures to tackle inequality in employment, skills and pay in the contract workforce

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 7: Creating a pipeline of opportunities: For the contract workforce, reducing barriers to entry for under-represented groups.

    • Other measures to offer development opportunities for the target cohort(s) in the contract workforce
    • Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
    • Creation of outreach activities to create a pipeline of employees for the future contract delivery
    • Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort

  • Mission: Build an NHS fit for the future: That is there when people need it; with fewer lives lost to the biggest killers; in a fairer Britain, where everyone lives well for longer.

    Policy Outcome 8: Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing: In the supply chain and communities in the relevant area.

    • Understanding of issues relating to health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce

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