BOXXE LIMITED

boxxe VMware Cloud on AWS

VMware Cloud on AWS is an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offering, leveraging VMware Cloud Foundation (vSphere, NSX and vSAN) to deliver software-defined data centres (SDDCs) as a cloud service on amazon Web Services (AWS) .

Features

• VMware SDDC delivered as a cloud service on AWS
• On-demand capacity & flexible hourly consumption available globally
• Run on dedicated, elastic, bare-metal AWS infrastructure
• Operates in multiple Availability Zones within the UK
• Single user interface and API for on-prem and cloud
• vMotion between on-premises and thecloud
• Automated cluster scaling and host remediation
• Direct Connect and L2VPNconnectivity and offline data transfer options
• Access AWS services (EBS, RDS, Lambda, etc..) without network charges
• Delivered as native, fully managed AWS service, operated by VMware

Benefits

• Jointly engineered to deliver the best of VMware and AWS
• Unparalleled security of combined VMware and AWS technologies and operations
• Industry leading portability enables migration to and from the Cloud
• Full operational consistency with on-premise VMware technologies
• Scalable infrastructure available when and where you need it
• Common virtual infrastructure makes hybrid deployments truly possible
• Disaster Recover economics are transformed by the cloud
• Support existing and next-generation applications and containers in one platform
• Enterprise grade cloud management and K8sorchestrated container service

£3.57 to £15.27 a server an hour

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

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

812922969916623

Contact

Gemma Franklin
07704551950
tenders@boxxe.com

Service scope

• Service constraints: N/A
• System requirements: N/A

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Support response times; Below are the response times: Critical (SaaSSeverity 1) 30 minutes or less: 24x7 Major (SaaSSeverity 2) 4 business hours Minor (SaaSSeverity 3) 8 business hours Cosmetic (SaaSSeverity 4) 12 business hours
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: None or don’t know
• Phone support: No
• Web chat support: Web chat
• Web chat support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Web chat support accessibility standard: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Web chat accessibility testing: VMware Cloud on AWS leverages in-product chat from Intercom.com. Detailsabout chat accessibility can be found here.https://www.intercom.com/help/faqs-and-troubleshooting/the-intercom-messenger/is-the-intercom-messenger-accessible Additional details ondevelopment and testing for accessibility of the chat interface can be found here:https://www.intercom.com/blog/messenger-accessibility
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: VMware Cloud on AWS provides 24/7 production level support as part of theservice at no additional cost.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: VMware provides a range of resources to help to start using the VMwareCloud on AWS service. These include comprehensive documentation (inmultiple formats), introductory videos, hands-on labs, online and in-persontraining, access to a large ecosystem of partners and support from thecustomer success team and public sector account team.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats: HTML
• End-of-contract data extraction: Migration of data to and from VMware Cloud on AWS is fully managed by the customer. Documentation exists along with additional tools and services to facilitate the migration of data. VMware Cloud on AWS natively runs VMware vSphere which stores customer data in an industry accepted virtual machine format and VMware vSphere natively supports the OpenVirtualization Format (OVF), making it simple to download, clone, migrate, copy, port or transfer workloads between environments.
• End-of-contract process: If you are using the Service Offering on an on-demand basis, you can cancel at any time by deleting your SDDC, using the VMware Cloud on AWS Console. You will be charged for all usage up to the point of termination. Unless you purchase a new subscription, upon expiration of the Subscription Term all services will continue to operate on an on-demand basis and you will be billed at the then-current on-demand rate for those services until you cancel your on-demand use.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Using the web interface: The VMware Cloud on AWS Console enables customers to provision Software Defined Data Centers, Configure Networking, Add/RemoveHosts, Connect to the Virtual Center interface and get support. TheVirtual Center Interface enables customers to manage their entire Software Defined Data Center.
• Web interface accessibility standard: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Web interface accessibility testing: The Virtual Center interface has undergone accessibility testing. Resultsof all VMware accessibility tests can be found at:https://www.vmware.com/in/help/accessibility.html
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: After the initial creation of the organisation's account, the service can beconfigured and operated via the API interface. VMware Cloud on AWSService APIs, vSphere APIs and NSX API interfaces are all supported.
• API automation tools:
  • Ansible
  • Chef
  • OpenStack
  • SaltStack
  • Terraform
  • Puppet
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • Open API (also known as Swagger)
  • HTML
  • Other
• Command line interface: Yes
• Command line interface compatibility:
  • Linux or Unix
  • Windows
  • MacOS
• Using the command line interface: Customers have access to all published and documented APIs through acommand prompt.

Scaling

• Scaling available: Yes
• Scaling type:
  • Automatic
  • Manual
• Independence of resources: Customer environments are logically and physically segregated to prevent users and customers from accessing resources not assigned to them. Each customer SDDC runs on dedicated hardware which eliminates the potential for other customers to affect their workloads. VMware and AWS both continuously monitor service usage to project infrastructure needs to support availability commitments/requirements.
• Usage notifications: Yes
• Usage reporting: API

Analytics

• Infrastructure or application metrics: Yes
• Metrics types:
  • CPU
  • Disk
  • HTTP request and response status
  • Memory
  • Network
  • Number of active instances
  • Other
• Other metrics:
  • VSphere provide comprehensive infrastructure logs
  • Performance logs
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: None

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: Yes
• 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: In-house
• 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: 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

Backup and recovery

• Backup and recovery: Yes
• What’s backed up:
  • Account Configuration information
  • SDDC Configuration information
• Backup controls: Customers retain control and ownership of their virtual machines and have the ability to use their own backup and recovery solution. VMware Cloud on AWS enables virtual machine images to be replicated by Site RecoveryManager to another Availability Zone or to a data centre of the customer's choosing, which ensures that workloads would always exist in more than one physical location. There are many companies that offer backup and recovery solutions that are compatible with VMware Cloud on AWS service. A list of vendors can be found here: https://marketplace.vmware.com/
• 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

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: VMware will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that each component of the Service Offering ("service component") is “Available” during a given billing month (as defined in the Service Description) equal to the “Availability Commitment” specified in the table below: Service Component Availability Commitment SDDC Infrastructure99.9% SDDC Management 99.9% VMware Site Recovery - Management 99.9% More information about the SLA can be found at:https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/support/vmw-cloud-aws-service-level-agreement.pdf
• Approach to resilience: VMware has implemented backup or redundancy mechanisms to ensure compliance with regulatory, statutory and contractual obligations. VMware has a defined InformationSecurity Program that includes Business Continuity (BC) and Disaster Recovery (DR)strategies for data and hardware redundancy, network configuration redundancy and backups and regular testing exercises. VMware Cloud on AWS uses Amazon WebServices (AWS) geographically resilient data hosting options. Data centres are built in clusters in various global regions. VMware provides customers with the flexibility to place instances and store data within multiple geographic regions as well as across multiple availability Zones within each region to support their resiliency needs.
• Outage reporting: The real-time status of the VMware Cloud on AWS services along with past incidents ispublicly available on https://status.vmware-services.io/.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • 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: Management interfaces implement role-based access controls and require members to authenticate against the corporate identity provider. Access is managed through the management gateway which restricts access based on originating IP address and SSL usage. Additional security and authentication mechanisms including the use of time-based credentials are used to secure and monitor access.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password
• Devices users manage the service through:
  • Dedicated device on a segregated network (providers own provision)
  • Dedicated device on a government network (for example PSN)
  • 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)
  • Directly from any device which may also be used for normal business (for example web browsing or viewing external email)

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users have access to real-time 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: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: Schellman & Company, LLC
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 14/10/2021
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: N/A
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: Yes
• CSA STAR accreditation date: 01/04/2022
• CSA STAR certification level: Level 1: CSA STAR Self-Assessment
• What the CSA STAR doesn’t cover: N/a
• PCI certification: Yes
• Who accredited the PCI DSS certification: Crowe LLP
• PCI DSS accreditation date: 16/12/2021
• What the PCI DSS doesn’t cover: N/a
• Cyber essentials: No
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Other security certifications: Yes
• Any other security certifications:
  • ISO 27001
  • ISO 27017
  • ISO 27018
  • SOC 2
  • HIPAA
  • PCI-DSS
  • IRAP
  • OSPAR

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards:
  • CSA CCM version 3.0
  • ISO/IEC 27001
• Information security policies and processes: VMware security policies are documented and available to employees on an internal website. Policies and procedures are reviewed annually, and updated as needed. VMware utilizes a standard operating procedure repository to store an extensive set of documented procedures. Detailed procedures are defined for the following categories of functions: information security, physical security, network availability, HR, communications, risk/issues and service level customer service. On an annual basis, VMware Cloud on AWS is audited by third-party auditors for ISO 27001/17/18, SOC2, PCI-DSS and HIPAA. Policy adherence is included as a part of these third-party audits.

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: The VMware Cloud on AWS team has a comprehensive development lifecycle and change management system in place. Continuous reviews and testing occur on the software development pipelines for individual products and components. VMware generates builds from approved components and runs these through BITs (Basic IntegrationTests), PVTs (Product Validation Tests), FSLite (Feature Stress Lite Tests)and continuous Loop tests for Deployment, Upgrade and Clusterexpansion/ reduction. Additionally, we run performance tests, feature stress tests, security scans, vulnerability tests and System Tests at scale for every cycle.
• Vulnerability management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: VMware has comprehensive vulnerability management program in place which includes continuous internal and regular third-party vulnerability scanning and penetration testing. The VMware Security Response Center(VSRC) leads the analysis and remediation of service security issues. VSRCreceives reports directly and monitors the ecosystem for relevant security issues and works with VMware Research and Development to develop and resolve issues. VMware Cloud on AWS has the capability to rapidly patch vulnerabilities. Remediation efforts and timelines are prioritized and applied using industry best practices. For further details on the process and our commitment to customers, see the VMware Security ResponsePolicy https://www.vmware.com/support/policies/security_response.html
• Protective monitoring type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: VMware has a Security Operations Center staffed 24x7 and alerted on security anomalies in the VMware Cloud on AWS environment. VMware Cloud on AWS has several intrusion detection/prevention mechanisms in place and the service continuously collects and monitors the environment logs which are correlated with both public and private threat feeds to spot suspicious and unusual activities. The customer is responsible for the security of the environment over which they have administrative level control.
• 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 process complies with industry standards for legally admissible chain-of-custody and forensic-data-collection management processes and controls. Response standards, procedures, and methods are implemented based on the severity level. If VMware determines that unauthorized access to/use/disclosure of customer content, VMware will usecommercially reasonable efforts to notify customers, taking into account any applicable law, regulations, or governmental request. VMware will alsonotify customers of a suspected breach of the infrastructure if that breach occurred on a segment of the platform consumed by a customer, or in the event of Denial of Service attacks. VMware does not monitor guest workloads for such breaches.

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)

Separation between users

• Virtualisation technology used to keep applications and users sharing the same infrastructure apart: Yes
• Who implements virtualisation: Supplier
• Virtualisation technologies used: VMware
• How shared infrastructure is kept separate: Each VMware Cloud on AWS Software-Defined Datacenter (SDDC) is provisioned on dedicated bare-metal hardware within an AWS VPCdedicated to the customer. vSphere is installed on this dedicated hardware and customers are given access to their individual instance of VirtualCenter to manage their virtual environment.

Energy efficiency

• Energy-efficient datacentres: Yes
• Description of energy efficient datacentres: VMware Cloud on AWS utilizes AWS datacenters and information about AWS & Sustainability can be found here:https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/sustainability/

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

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

  Fighting climate change

  boxxe is committed to supporting environmental protection and improvement and to delivering and influencing environmentally conscious solutions to address the critical issue of climate change, focusing on achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions and influencing all stakeholders towards environmental protection and improvement. ; Our latest Carbon Reduction Plan, available on our website confirms we are carbon neutral across all sources of emissions through investing in the Carbon Exchange-Traded Commodity. We aim to reach Net Zero by 2050 at the latest through emissions reduction initiatives e.g. renewable electricity procurement and supplier engagement.; Environmental protection is embedded in everything boxxe does and offers and we are proud to have been named as a finalist in the Best Value Chain Initiative category at the CRN Sustainability in Tech Awards 2024. ; We maintain an accredited ISO 14001 Environmental Management System covering the entire scope of our business, and our goal is to be recognized as the UK’s most sustainable IT reseller and service provider.; boxxe is committed to adopting, promoting, and implementing the principles of a Circular Economy and have developed a Circular Management Plan which articulates our strategy for waste minimisation and the enhancement of material reuse and recycling in our operations and the products we supply. This underscores our dedication to environmental stewardship, resource efficiency, and sustainable growth, driven by innovative and accountable resource and waste management practices.; We ensure that our supply chain is aware of and understand our environmental policies and we work with them to manage and continuously improve their environmental performance. We prioritise the purchase of recycled, recyclable, or re-furbished products and materials where these alternatives are available, economical, and suitable.; We conform to WEEE regulations and seek to sustainably reduce, reuse, and recycle, to ensure we and our customers minimise the impact of IT waste on the environment.

  Covid-19 recovery

  The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed boxxe’s ways of working, leading us to implement a fully remote workforce to maintain customer service and operational functionality during the crisis. This transition enabled us to develop and implement a "Work from Anywhere in the UK" policy. By allowing our employees to work from any location, we have broadened our recruitment reach, enabling us to attract the best talent regardless of their geographic location. This approach has reduced barriers to inclusion, enhanced employee retention, and supported a healthier work-life balance. Additionally, remote recruitment strategies have allowed us to target candidates from areas particularly impacted by Covid-19, thereby positively contributing to their local economic recovery.; Recognising the significant skills shortages highlighted by the pandemic within the IT industry, we have taken proactive steps to retain and enhance our workforce's capabilities. We encourage continuous training and development in our employees' respective fields of expertise. Experienced staff and external specialists provide mentoring, offering a hands-on learning experience that ensures the effective application of newly acquired skills. Moreover, we are committed to inspiring the next generation by inviting local youth to experience the day-to-day life of our tech teams and organising regular hackathons and think tanks for soon-to-be graduates, providing them with career guidance.; Building on our pandemic experiences, we have developed a robust business continuity plan, ensuring that we are well-prepared to maintain uninterrupted service in the event of a similar crisis. It is worth noting that during the height of COVID-19, our strategies allowed us to maintain seamless business operations, underscoring our resilience and adaptability in challenging times. This foundation not only prepares us for future challenges but also reinforces our commitment to innovation and excellence in a post-pandemic world.

  Tackling economic inequality

  boxxe is committed to addressing disparities in employment, skills, and pay within our workforce and across our supply chain. Our ‘Work from Anywhere in the UK’ policy allows us to recruit the best talent regardless of their geographic location, removing barriers to inclusion, improving retention, and promoting a healthier work-life balance. By enabling staff to work remotely, we foster collaboration and create more equitable opportunities for all potential and current boxxe employees.; To address the skills shortages in tech industry, we invest in our staff’s continuous in-work skills development, facilitating career progression and helping retain talent. All staff have access to on-demand learning opportunities, available irrespective of role or seniority. We provide funding for a variety of training programs: specialist vendor/industry accreditations and professional qualifications. Experienced staff provide mentoring, ensuring that newly acquired skills are applied effectively.; We are dedicated to maintaining a robust and diverse supply chain by actively supporting SMEs, startups, and specialist suppliers. We invite these partners to collaborate with us, providing them with a route to market and guidance on best practices in industry and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. Moreover, we have created the boxxe Community, where every employee can contribute 11½ days each year to support community and social value activities. We prioritise a local-first approach to giving, ensuring that support reaches grassroots charities and local causes where it is needed most. This includes our involvement in the 'Graduation to Employment' programme where experienced personnel volunteer to provide career coaching to university graduates.; Through the boxxe Academy, we offer apprenticeships and seasonal internships to encourage the next generation into IT. We welcome interns and apprentices to our customer service, HR, service delivery, and service delivery teams, providing them with all-round experience to kick-start a career in tech

  Equal opportunity

  Equal opportunities, and our dedication to DEI are rooted in our mission to Making Tech Human.; boxxe is committed to a workforce that reflects diverse populations with the skills to drive a compassionate and inclusive culture and a genuine sense of belonging. We embed inclusivity, celebrate uniqueness, and foster collaboration to eradicate inequalities in employment, skills, and pay in our workforce and our supply chain.; Recruitment is focused on inclusivity and fairness, encouraging diversity in ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and socio-economic backgrounds by anonymising our candidates, concentrating on the alignment of their skills and experience, reducing conscious or unconscious bias. Our Competency Framework gives employees clear guidance on progression and developing the necessary competencies for higher level roles, integrating both technical and behavioural aspects in a Skills Matrix, and mapping out potential career paths. We offer online training and invest in our staff’s professional qualifications. Our annual pay review maintains market-aligned salaries, and we are a certified Real Living Wage employer. We offer enhanced, inclusive family policies including maternity, parental, and fertility-treatment paid leave. ; We hold Flexa accreditation and operate a ‘Work from Anywhere in the UK’ policy which enhances accessibility for candidates facing barriers to inclusion, bolsters retention and facilitates a healthier work-life balance. We are a Level 1 Disability Confident Committed employer, aiming to achieve Level 2 by 2025. We actively address underrepresentation, particularly women in tech, and racial inequality as a founding member of Technology, Community for Racial Equality. We are proud of our advancement of female leadership, recognised at the CRN Women & Diversity in Channel Awards 2023. Our involvement with the Stonewall Diversity Champions reflects our dedication to LGBTQ+ allyship. ; As a silver accredited Armed Forces Covenant member, we work to help create employment

  Wellbeing

  boxxe’s Wellbeing Strategy, built on direct feedback from our employees, reflects our dedication to prioritising our workforce’s mental, physical, social, and financial wellbeing. This holistic approach recognises the importance of a comprehensive support system for overall health, satisfaction, and effectiveness of the workforce. We adhere to the Mental Health at Work Commitment and incorporate elements from the Thriving at Work guidance, despite being an organisation of less than 500 employees. This includes tailored mental health support, financial advice and low interest support loans, an EPA, occupational health support, and counselling services provided in-house by Mental Health First Aiders.; We champion a healthy workplace environment through the Mindful Business Charter, which emphasises removing unnecessary stress and promoting mental wellbeing with strategies including smart meetings, respecting rest periods, and mindful delegation. This charter serves as a guideline for all employees on small, practical changes to safeguard personal and colleague health.; To encourage open discussions about health, we foster a supportive culture where physical and mental health issues can be openly discussed, creating a safe space for employees to express concerns. We encourage our staff to participate in the boxxe Community programme, which has been shown to positively impact physical and mental wellbeing.; Our proactive engagement with the workforce includes regular wellbeing surveys, specialised training for managing stress at work, and comprehensive health benefits that cover physical and mental resources. We promote active lifestyles through incentivised physical activities, and we maintain health and safety standards in line with our ISO 45001 accreditation. We ensure wellbeing extends to our supply chain through our Supplier Code of Conduct, emphasising the importance of ethical standards and worker health and wellbeing, demonstrating our dedication to fostering a culture of health and wellbeing across all facets of our operations.

Pricing

• Price: £3.57 to £15.27 a server an hour
• 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 tenders@boxxe.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.