Node4 Ltd

Microsoft Azure CSP (IaaS Storage)

Node4 Azure CSP provides organisations with access to Microsoft Azure services through the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) model, enhanced by Node4’s FinOps, managed support, governance, optimisation tooling, and enterprise-grade cloud expertise. The service enables public sector customers to procure Azure subscriptions via a service with built in cost optimisation.

Features

Subscription-based access to Microsoft Azure via CSP.
Centralised billing, consolidated invoicing, and consumption reporting.
Real-time access to Azure Portal for resource management.
Node4 Cloud Optimisation Platform (COP) for FinOps
Cost optimisation tooling and reserved instance management.
Pricing incentives
Technical Suppport (Foundation)

Benefits

Improve operational agility with on-demand scalable cloud resources.
Reduce procurement overhead by consuming Azure through a single supplier.
Gain improved governance with centrally managed cloud policies.
Reduce costs with real time optimisation insights and FinOps support
Control costs using automated optimisation and consolidated billing.
Accelerate cloud adoption through Node4 expertise and optional managed services.
Access to the Node4 Support team

Free trial available

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 bidmanagement@node4.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

Contact

Node4 Ltd James Tandy
Telephone: 0345 123 2222
Email: bidmanagement@node4.co.uk

About your service

Service categories

IaaS

IaaS Storage

Object or Bucket
Block
File

Service scope

Service constraints: Azure maintenance windows are governed by Microsoft.
Some features are region-dependent.
Support limited to services covered by Azure and Node4 CSP scope.
System requirements: Customers must access resources via Internet or Node4 provided connectivity

Subject to the Microsoft Customer agreement and Microsoft Terms
Cloud deployment model: Public cloud

Hybrid cloud

User support

Email or online ticketing support: Yes
Support response times: Node4 shall prioritise all Service Tickets based on its reasonable assessment of the Priority level (P1 to P4); and respond to all Service Tickets in accordance with the initial response times specified below:
Response Acknowledgement - P1=30 Mins, P2=1 Hour, P3=2 Hours, P4=4 Hours
Commencement – P1=1 Hour, P2=2 Hours, P3=4 Hours, P4=N/A
Frequency of Updates – P1=1 Hour, P2=2 Hours, P3 and P4 =12 Hours if Resolve / Target to Fix exceeded
Resolve / Target to Fix – P1=4 Hours, P2=8 Hours, P3=12 Hours, P4=36 Hours.
User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
Online ticketing support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
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: WCAG 2.2 AA
Web chat accessibility testing: Standard testing with accessibility software.
Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
Support levels: Foundation Support - Business Hours/ Break Fix (MS Escalation)
Maintain- 24x7x365/ Break Fix (MS Escalation)
Monitored - 24x7x365/ Proactive Monitoring (MS Escalation)
Managed - 24x7x365/ Managed Service (MS Escalation)
Support available to third parties: Yes
AI chatbot: No

Onboarding and offboarding

Getting started: Onboarding workshop.
Secure landing zone deployment.
Online documentation and optional training.
Service documentation: Yes
Documentation formats: HTML

ODF

PDF
End-of-contract data extraction: Clients can seamlessly transfer billing ownership to an alternative CSP.
End-of-contract process: Clients are allowed to migrate to an alternative billing CSP at the end of contract. Additional support would be chargeable
Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA

Using the service

Web browser interface: Yes
Using the web interface: Full self-service is available though the web interface for most commonly required Azure functions. Additional support will require access via the Node4 support function via formal change control.
Web interface accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA
Web interface accessibility testing: Standard testing with accessibility software.
API: Yes
What users can and can't do using the API: Deploy and configure services.
Modify resources.
Automate workloads via Infrastructure-as-Code. Limited to underlying Azure API constraints.
API automation tools: Ansible

Chef

OpenStack

SaltStack

Terraform

Puppet
API documentation: Yes
API documentation formats: Open API (also known as Swagger)

HTML

PDF
Command line interface: Yes
Command line interface compatibility: Linux or Unix

Windows

MacOS
Using the command line interface: CLI capabilities:Users can create, modify, destroy resources and configure automation. Constraints follow Azure-native limits.

Scaling

Independence of resources: Azure Security controls
Usage notifications: Yes
Usage reporting: API

Email

SMS
Optimising consumption: Yes
Automatic scaling: Yes

Analytics

Infrastructure or application metrics: Yes
Metrics types: CPU

Disk

HTTP request and response status

Memory

Network

Number of active instances
Reporting types: Real-time dashboards
Resource tagging: Yes
FOCUS resource tagging: Yes

Resellers

Supplier type: Reseller providing extra features and support
Organisation whose services are being resold: Microsoft Azure CSP

Staff security

Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
Government security clearance: Security Clearance (SC)

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 4.0)
Penetration testing frequency: Less than once a year
Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a CREST-approved service provider
Protecting data at rest: Physical access control, complying with another standard

Other
Other data at rest protection approach: Encryption at rest (AES-256)
Data sanitisation process: Yes
Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service
Data sanitisation type: Deleted data can’t be directly accessed / Cryptographic Erasure

Backup and recovery

What’s backed up: Files

Virtual machines

Databases

Storage accounts
Backup controls: Users set schedules, policies, and retention
Datacentre setup: Multiple datacentres with disaster recovery
Scheduling backups: Users schedule backups through a web interface
Backup recovery: Users can recover backups themselves, for example through a web interface
Backup and recovery: Yes
RPO/RTO: Yes

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)

Other
Other protection within supplier network: Zero Trust segmentation

Availability and resilience

Guaranteed availability: Azure SLA up to 99.99% depending on service. Credits applied per Microsoft SLA.
Approach to resilience: Azure provides multi-region redundancy; detailed architecture available on request.
Outage reporting: Azure status dashboard
Email alerts
API access to service health

Identity and authentication

User authentication needed: Yes
User authentication: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)

Dedicated link (for example VPN)

Username or password
Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: RBAC, least privilege, segregated support networks
Access restriction testing frequency: Less than once a year
Management access authentication: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)

Dedicated link (for example VPN)
Devices users manage the service through: Dedicated device over multiple services or networks

Any device but through a bastion host (a bastion host is a server that provides access to a private network from an external network such as the internet)

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: Between 1 month and 6 months
Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
How long supplier audit data is stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months
How long system logs are stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months

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: ISO 27017, ISO 27018
Information security policies and processes: Full ISMS with annual audit
Quarterly internal reviews
Dedicated security team
Incident response and escalation policies

Operational security

Configuration and change management standard: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
Configuration and change management approach: ✔ ITIL-aligned change control
✔ Risk assessment for security impact
✔ Full asset and configuration tracking
Vulnerability management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
Vulnerability management approach: Continuous scanning
Vendor patch ingestion
Monthly patch cycles
CVE risk assessment
Threat intel from NCSC & vendor feeds
Protective monitoring type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
Protective monitoring approach: SIEM monitoring
24×7 SOC
Alert correlation and investigation
Incident response within SLA
Incident management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v4.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
Incident management approach: The following approach in used for incident management to ensure the objectives are achieved

Incident Resolution is achieved in the most effective manner

All Incidents are identified promptly and correctly

All Incidents are evaluated, categorised, and prioritised correctly

Communication is maintained with all Stakeholders throughout the lifecycle of all Incidents

All Incidents are constantly monitored throughout their lifecycle

Incidents are handled as outlined in the Incident Management Schedule Document here: -
https://node4.co.uk/app/uploads/2022/07/Schedule-Incident-Management-07.04.2021-release.pdf
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)

Separation between users

Virtualisation technology used to keep applications and users sharing the same infrastructure apart: Yes
Who implements virtualisation: Supplier
Virtualisation technologies used: Other
Other virtualisation technology used: Microsoft Azure
How shared infrastructure is kept separate: Tenant isolation provided via Azure hypervisor.

Energy efficiency

Energy-efficient datacentres: Yes
Description of energy efficient datacentres: Azure datacentres comply with the EU Code of Conduct

Pricing

Discount for educational organisations: No
Free trial available: Yes
Description of free trial: Access to our FinOps platform report (30days)
Link to free trial: N/A

Discount

Provide your minimum discount applicable to your baseline prices: 0%

Formula for calculating price of your services

Which of the core deployment models you intend to offer

Public Cloud
Private Cloud

Public Cloud - Formula for calculating price of your services

Total Cost: The Total Cost for a buyer's call off requirement in a Public Cloud Deployment
=
Baseline Pricing: Baseline pricing for Azure services will be available via the Azure website. Node4's baseline pricing for add-on packages is available via our Service Definition document.
Baseline Pricing - Web link: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/pricing
-
Minimum Discounting: 0%
+
Onboarding Activity: Onboarding costs may vary based on your specific requirements, please confirm with suppliers during the clarification process
+
Additional sources of cost: None.
-
Additional sources of cost reduction: For longer term contracts, efficiency savings may also be available. Additionally, for Azure CSP models, Node4 can provide a discount against the Microsoft standard pricing.

Private Cloud - Formula for calculating price of your services

Total Cost: The Total Cost for a buyer's call off requirement in a Private Cloud Deployment
=
Baseline Pricing: Our baseline prices are contained within the pricing document attached to our G-Cloud service offering.
-
Minimum Discounting: 0%
+
Onboarding Activity: Onboarding costs may vary based on your specific requirements, please confirm with suppliers during the clarification process
+
Additional sources of cost: None.
-
Additional sources of cost reduction: Longer-term contracts will attract a discount, as will efficiency savings integrated as continuous service improvement.

Mandatory certifications

Are you are bidding to offer IaaS and/or PaaS as a reseller or are you in sole control of the infrastructure

Reseller

Cloud service suppliers you intend to resell with evidence

Organisation 1

Organisation name

Microsoft Azure

Website address/upload for organisation

Website address

https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/partners/eab32f66-83b2-40aa-a080-b2b06c2a3338/overview

ISO 9001 certification

Provided

ISO 27001 certification

Provided

ISO 20000-1 certification

Provided

Are you reliant on the Cloud Service Provider for some accreditations

ISO 14001 certification

Provided

ISO 27017 certification

Provided

Are you bidding to provide services under Lot 1b or both Lot 1a and Lot 1b?

Yes

ISO 27018 certification

Provided

Cyber Essentials

Do you have a Cyber Essentials Plus certificate?: Yes
Cyber Essentials Plus certificate Number: 462842f5-50d4-4c01-a98b-98fd0ee1f716

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
CSA STAR certification: No
PCI certification: No
Other security certifications: No

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

Monitoring and reporting of gender and ethnicity pay gaps and plans to address them where necessary

Entitlement to sick pay for the contract workforce, with provision in place for any staff who do not meet the earnings threshold for statutory sick pay, payment of sick pay from day one of absence and payment of staff on the contract workforce who are off sick a replacement income of 100% of their usual earnings for as long as possible

Plans for an appropriate income replacement policy for staff who are required to spend time away from work to care for a sick dependent or close relative

Understanding of in-work progression issues affecting 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 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 the contract workforce by providing career advice, and providing opportunities for staff working on the contract with in-work progression career development into known skills shortages or high growth areas

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

Volunteering opportunities for staff

Understanding of the modern slavery risks and issues affecting the market, industry, sector or country (of origin or of source) relevant to the contract, and the workforce in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key subcontractors

Measures to identify, mitigate and manage modern slavery risks relating to the contract and how these will be implemented

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

How these flow down the supply chain and are monitored Illustrative examples include reporting, site visits, audits, etc.

How to ensure business decisions re: price/cost, short lead times, payment timescales do not create modern slavery risks in the supply chain

How the supplier will work with NGOs, trade unions or other businesses to address modern slavery risk

Means of influencing staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders with respect to modern slavery risks relating to the contract

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.

Understanding of employment and relevant skills issues, and of the education and training issues relating to the contract. Illustrative examples: demographics, skills shortages, new opportunities in high growth sectors, geographic/local community and skills/employment challenges

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

Activities to support relevant sector related skills growth and sustainability in the contract workforce. Illustrative examples: careers talks, curriculum support, literacy support, safety talks and volunteering

Delivery of apprenticeships, supported internships and T Level industry placement opportunities (Level 2, 3 and 4+) in relation to the contract

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

Understanding of the types of businesses in the market and the level of participation by new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals

Activities to identify opportunities to open up sub-contracts under the prime contract to a diverse range of businesses, including new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals

Plans for engaging a diverse range of businesses in engagement activities prior to appointing subcontractors (including activities prior to award of the main contract and during the contract term)

Activities that demonstrate a collaborative way to work with a diverse range of businesses as part of the supply chain

Ensuring accessibility to contracting and subcontracting opportunities for disabled business owners and employees

Structuring of the supply chain selection process to ensure fairness (e.g. anti-corruption) and encourages participation by a diverse range of businesses, including with regard to new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutual

Understanding of local demographics, needs and opportunities for the co-design of the goods, services and works to be delivered under the contract

Methods for engaging with different parts of the community (including the education system and charities representing the community) and how communities come together to inform decisions, strategy and projects to leave a positive legacy for future generations

Plans for positive actions with community groups.

Measures to engage users and communities and build relationships to increase community integration build trust and influence how the contract is delivered

Plans to respond flexibly and adapt approaches to community engagement and initiatives

Support for community-led initiatives relevant to the contract. Illustrative examples: improving transport links; reducing loneliness; helping with English language proficiency; and facilitating social mixing among people with different backgrounds

Collaborating with anchor institutions and community groups to make facilities available for education, training or community events

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

Collaborative ways of working with the supply chain to deliver additional environmental benefits 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

Activities to reconnect people with the environment and increase awareness of ways to protect and enhance it

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

Understanding of employment and skills issues, and of the skills and employment shortages of high growth sectors relating to the contract

Creation of employment opportunities particularly for those who face barriers to employment, such as prison leavers, care leavers and/or who are located in deprived areas, and for people in industries with known skills shortages or in high growth sectors

Delivery of training schemes and programmes to address any identified skills gaps and under-representation in the workforce for the contract (e.g. prison leavers, care leavers, kinship carers, disabled people)

Understanding of the issues affecting the representation of disabled people in the workforce in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors

Collection of the views and expertise of disabled people and their representative organisations on successfully supporting disabled employees or applicants

Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, and retention-focused activities, including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition

Introducing transparency to pay and reward processes

Offering a range of quality opportunities with routes of progression if appropriate, e.g. T Level industry placements, students supported into higher level apprenticeships.

Working conditions which promote an inclusive working environment and promote retention and progression

Other measures to provide equality of opportunity for disabled people and those with health conditions into employment, including becoming a Disability Confident employer and inclusion of supported businesses in the contract supply chain

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

Inclusive and accessible development practices, including guidance for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition

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.

Understanding of the issues affecting the development of new skills by target cohort

Understanding of the underlying factors affecting improvements to reduce barriers to entry and training schemes for the target cohort(s) related to the contract workforce

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

Understanding of issues relating to entering the contract workforce

Creation of outreach activities to create a pipeline of employees for the future contract delivery

Content of the outreach activity is designed to suit the target cohort

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

Understanding barriers to access to health and social care services or employment opportunities e.g. digital inclusion

Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, development practices and retention policies that support-focused activities including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing which support people with a disability or health condition

Actions to invest in the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the contract workforce

Service documents

Request an accessible format

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Microsoft Azure CSP (IaaS Storage)

Features

Benefits

Pricing

Service documents

Framework

Service ID

Contact

About your service

Service scope

User support

Onboarding and offboarding

Using the service

Scaling

Analytics

Resellers

Staff security

Asset protection

Backup and recovery

Data-in-transit protection

Availability and resilience

Identity and authentication

Audit information for users

Security governance

Operational security

Secure development

Separation between users

Energy efficiency

Pricing

Discount

Formula for calculating price of your services

Mandatory certifications

Cyber Essentials

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

Social value

Service documents