Nublue

Cloud Infrastructure Consultancy and Review

We can provide consultancy, reviews, and management for Cloud Hosting solutions that we do not directly control ourselves, including assessments of existing infrastructure, reviews of usage and recommendations, management agreements to support and maintain infrastructure, and migrations to cloud environments.

Features

• Infrastructure consultancy, architecture and review
• Ongoing support and management of solutions
• AWS Accredited solutions architects and best practices
• ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials certified business practices
• Flexible consultancy scope and requirements
• 24/7 Enterprise support, monitoring and management
• Full responsibility for OS updates, security, and configuration
• Assessments of appropriate vendors, technologies and solutions
• Monthly spend and architecture reviews for continued best practice
• Initial health check assessments and ongoing reviews

Benefits

• Reduced costs through better architected infrastructure
• Optimised solutions built to AWS accredited best practices
• Award winning support team for your services
• Increased security for applications and usage
• Ongoing reviews to ensure continued improvements and assessments
• Delegate responsibility for key architecture to accredited providers

£1,150 a user a day

• Education pricing 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 tenders@nublue.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

799548531407365

Contact

Natalie Kennedy
0800 033 7074
tenders@nublue.co.uk

Planning

• Planning service: Yes
• How the planning service works: An initial audit of what may currently be present through another supplier will be conducted. Depending upon access provided, a detailed assessment of current usage, best practices, cost efficiency and well architected solutions will be created.; ; Meetings with clients to define and understand project scope(s) and requirements will be held. It is important that historical usage and decisions are clear, as well as the current situation and goals, and future requirements with any growth and development plans accounted for.; ; Existing and predicted challenges will be detailed and a plan put in place to resolve.; ; A full report and assessment will be provided detailing recommendations for the current infrastructure (if present), and recommendations for a future setup, wherever this is intended to be delivered.; ; A full implementation and roll-out plan will be created with clear timelines and responsibilities at every stage. This is created according to agile project management practices, i.e. with defined sprints and milestones.; ; A dedicated team with an assigned Account/Project Manager and a Technical Lead will work with the appropriate client contacts to implement any recommendations and required work following completion of the above process with the buyer.
• Planning service works with specific services: Yes
• Hosting or software services the planning service works with:
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Microsoft Azure
  • Magento / Adobe Commerce Application(s)
  • Umbraco Application(s)
  • Drupal Application(s)
  • WordPress Application(s)
  • PHP based bespoke Application(s)
  • Linux based solutions
  • Drupal LocalGov Application(s)
  • Platform.sh Implementations

Training

• Training service provided: Yes
• How the training service works: This is entirely dependant on the needs of the buyer. We are accredited providers of Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure solutions, and experienced partners of Platform.sh.; ; An initial training needs assessment will be conducted to determine what areas of training may be needed for the client.; ; Training plans will then be developed and scheduled, with clear timelines, responsibilities, and agendas.; ; Multiple methods are available for training delivery and will be provided dependant on the needs of the client, for instance:; ; In-person workshops - from our Manchester office, or at your premises; Online training sessions via Google Meet or an online meeting platform of your choice (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Amazon Chime, Facetime) if the buyer utilises a different system; Recording training sessions; Training material i.e. pdf guides; Attended training and guidance
• Training is tied to specific services: Yes
• Services the training service works with:
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Microsoft Azure
  • Platform.sh

Setup and migration

• Setup or migration service available: Yes
• How the setup or migration service works: Similar to our planning services, an initial audit of what is migrating will be conducted. Depending upon access provided, a detailed assessment of current usage, best practices, cost efficiency and well architected solutions will be created.; ; Meetings with clients to define and understand project scope(s) and requirements will be held. It is important that historical usage and decisions are clear, as well as the current situation and goals, and future requirements with any growth and development plans accounted for. ; ; Existing and predicted challenges will be detailed and a plan put in place to resolve. ; ; A full report and health check assessment will be provided detailing recommendations for the future setup, and where it relates to the services that are being migrated.; ; A full migration and roll-out plan will be created with clear timelines and responsibilities at every stage. This will include test migrations, staged delivery, and a detailed go-live plan for the migration(s). After care will also be considered.; ; A dedicated team with an assigned Account/Project Manager and a Technical Lead will work with the appropriate client contacts to implement any recommendations and required work following completion of the above process with the buyer.
• Setup or migration service is for specific cloud services: Yes
• List of supported services:
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Microsoft Azure
  • Platform.sh

Quality assurance and performance testing

• Quality assurance and performance testing service: No

Security testing

• Security services: Yes
• Security services type:
  • Security strategy
  • Security risk management
  • Security design
  • Cyber security consultancy
  • Security incident management
  • Security audit services

Ongoing support

• Ongoing support service: Yes
• Types of service supported:
  • Buyer hosting or software
  • Hosting or software provided by your organisation
  • Hosting or software provided by a third-party organisation
• How the support service works: This would be entirely dependant on client requirements and agreed delivery.; ; We are able to provide 24/7 solution and application monitoring, 365 days of the year.; ; Monitoring is conducted using a variety of systems where appropriate, such as Pingdom, Datadog, Nodeping, Naemon, Twilio, New Relic, and Pagerduty.; ; These solutions would be used to support hosting on Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and/or Platform.sh.; ; They are also utilised to monitor software such as nginx, php-fpm, mysql, mariadb, varnish, redis; and applications such as Magento Commerce, Adobe Commerce, Drupal, Wordpress, and Laravel.; ; Domain name and DNS availability are monitored, as well as hosting resource usage and availability, auto-scaling events, and overall system health.; ; Issues are tracked, resolved, and communicated via our support desk.; ; Buyers are able to contact via telephone, email, or live chat support during office hours. Out of hours telephone and ticket support is also available where required, on a hosting and/or application level.

Service scope

• Service constraints: The consultancy and support is generally based on a responsibility for the hosting infrastructure and solutions itself. Responsibility for code and/or applications not developed by Nublue would require a separate service to health check and onboard such code and/or applications to our own specification and practices.; ; 24/7 support is based on any support query being handled during office hours, and only emergency/critical functionality issues being handled outside of office hours.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Monday to Friday - 9am - 5pm - 1 business hour ; Saturday, Sunday, Public Holidays - 9am - 5pm - 3 business hours
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: Web chat
• Web chat support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the web chat support is accessible: Access and initiate a web chat via our website
• Web chat accessibility testing: N/a
• Support levels: We only provide fully managed solutions so there are no tiers of support to provide apart from these. Any costs associated with the support required and provided will be included in the cost of the solution itself. Support is triaged by our support team and directed to the appropriate teams for resolution. Specific account managers can be assigned if required for your needs as part of your agreement.

Resellers

• Supplier type: Reseller providing extra features and support
• Organisation whose services are being resold: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Platform.sh

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Up to Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: Centre for Assessment Ltd
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 27/11/2023
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Our certification covers all assets, staff and facilities involved with the provision of strategic digital services, specialising in the design, development, marketing, hosting and support of websites on behalf of customers from Nublue's Manchester and Lancaster offices.
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Other security certifications: No

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  We’re investing in strategies to become carbon neutral through the schemes operated externally. Employees are encouraged to use modes of public transport where they are required to travel for business, or to care share. Where feasible, meetings are also facilitated remotely utilising a number of online communication tools. Day to day, more of our employees are working from home, reducing our overall carbon emissions; but when travelling into the office we also promote use of the company’s cycle to work scheme, along with rail and tram season tickets. Further we aim to purchase products and services from third party suppliers that share similar environmental positioning goals as our own.

  Tackling economic inequality

  We’re mindful of differing needs of all sections of the community when it comes to employment opportunities - we don’t use any auto-decision making in our recruitment process and no vacancies or roles require a University degree which could otherwise limit employment opportunities for those in deprived areas. Offering true flexible working, whether it be reduced hours or altered working hours to fit with childcare and increased working from home. A training and development fund is provided each year for employees to take advantage of and an allotted number of days which can be used for Continued Professional Development, to gain recognised qualifications. Training days are hosted for clients to join and learn new skills (outside of projects) and we continue to operate ‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions internally, for employees to not only learn topics relevant to their role, but their knowledge across wider business services.

  Equal opportunity

  Our ED&I policy aims to ensure that everyone is aware of our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in all our activities; treating all employees and job applicant equally,; All employees are required to undertake mandatory training modules annually. These are: “Equality and Diversity in the Workplace” and “Unconscious Bias”. Ouremployee-led intersectional ED&I Committee was founded in order to guide us on our journey to becoming a truly diverse and inclusive employer, by promoting community and wellbeing for all, championing inclusion throughout the company, celebrating diversity and keeping the Board accountable. They’ll also identify any specific training that they believe would be beneficial for employees to have.

  Wellbeing

  During employment our workforce receive a range of benefits that aid their financial, physical and mental wellbeing. This includes flexible working hours, cycle to work scheme, life cover and annual subscription to Leafyard (mental wellbeing platform). We have a health cash plan to encourage employees to keep healthy, accessing annual health checks and the ability to claim back for everyday health costs (e.g. eye tests, dental etc.); in addition to access to remote GP services and private health care cover. Our employee assistance programme includes a wellbeing portal which gives all employees access to support for stress, mental health difficulties, financial and legal advice. Across all technologies offered, we make active contributions to digital communities and have fostered great relationships within our partner network; both of which our employees are encouraged to be part of as subject to their role and ongoing CPD.

Pricing

• Price: £1,150 a user a day
• Discount for educational organisations: Yes

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