Astun Technology Ltd

iShare in the Cloud - Enterprise GIS

iShare in the Cloud is a cloud hosted and managed Enterprise GIS that frees users from the costs and complexity of managing Geographic Information infrastructure (software, servers, networks, bandwidth) allowing GI managers and analysts to focus on delivering Geographic Intelligence to staff and stakeholders.

Features

• Full enterprise, Intranet GIS or Public facing only deployment options
• Intranet GIS including enhanced editing and spatial querying
• Public facing mapping portal and information portal
• Mobile GIS, field data capture and Cloud hosted desktop GIS
• Access to Ordnance Survey base mapping (PSGA & OpenData)
• Spatial Data Warehouse (SDW)
• Support for Enterprise metadata (INSPIRE compliant)
• Web Services API including OGC WMS and WFS services
• ETL Data integration tooling (Extract, Transform and Load)
• Fault Reporting, Public Consultations and Integration with Power BI

Benefits

• Internet GIS for public access promotes Channel Shift
• Intranet GIS increases employee access to critical information
• Spatial Data Warehouse provides master data management
• API aids embedding spatial information within web applications and websites
• ETL provides secure integration with on premise back office systems
• Frees managers from costs and complexity of managing GI infrastructure
• Allows GI managers to focus on delivering Geographic Intelligence
• Open Source and Open Standards ensuring operability and lower cost
• Fully managed service reduces lifetime costs of ownership
• Discounted Shared Service Pricing reduces cost of ownership

£3,525 to £52,925 a licence a year

• Education pricing available
• Free trial available

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

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

936444982414212

Contact

Astun Technology Sales Team
01372 744009
sales@astuntechnology.com

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Private cloud
• Service constraints: Most planned maintenance will be undertaken without interrupting service availability however in the event that this is not possible downtime will be scheduled and agreed with the customer in advance.
• System requirements:
  • On-premise installation of administrative console (Studio) for data ETL
  • Remote desktop connection to hosted Studio for system management
  • Connectivity via VPN or IP Restriction
  • ADFS (or similar) preferred
  • Appropriate sub-domain and site certificates
  • Remote access for support

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Users can log support tickets 24/7.; ; Astun provide the support service during normal working hours, which are between 0900 and 1700 GMT, Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays.; ; The response times for calls logged by the customer are set out in the accompanying Astun Platform Terms & Conditions document.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: None or don’t know
• 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: IShare in the Cloud Application Support is included within an iShare in the Cloud Open Enterprise Agreement.; ; Astun provide the following iShare in the Cloud Support as standard:; 1. Advice on maintaining iShare in the Cloud.; 2. Access to official iShare in the Cloud and community forums.; 3. Advice on configuring and extending iShare in the Cloud.; 4. Instructions on how to remedy common faults.; 5. Resolution of issues related directly to a serious flaw in iShare in the Cloud.; 6. The Customer may obtain iShare in the Cloud Application support by logging a request on Astun’s Support Portal.; ; First line support is provided via a permanently staffed Service Desk with second and third line support by consultancy and development teams for fault diagnosis and resolution. Customer access to web based Service Desk provides real time ticket management and correspondence on all customer tickets.; ; For support conditions, support processes, the service level agreement and escalation procedures are detailed in the accompanying document - Astun Platform Terms & Conditions
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: On receipt of a purchase order Astun Technology will: Issue Project Initiation Documents and host kick off call / meeting; Set up iShare in the Cloud servers within customer Virtual Private Cloud; Configure iShare in the Cloud with access to ADS background mapping and gazetteer; Liaise with customer on integration (ADFS etc); Commence delivery of additional configuration and consultancy services.; ; Astun provide onsite training for administrators and user documentation.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: In the event that the customer terminates the service they can download their data from the service in a standard geographic file format (MapInfo tab or ESRI shp) or as a database export/backup. Customers should extract a copy of their data before their contract expires.
• End-of-contract process: On receipt of a written request to terminate the iShare in the Cloud service and subject to there being no unpaid charges outstanding, Astun will delete the hosted environment including all servers, datasets, user details and customer specific configuration stored within iShare in the Cloud.; ; Any further "Off-boarding" assistance is chargeable in accordance with Astun's SFIA rate card.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Internet Explorer 11
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: All public facing elements of the service have been implemented using responsive design to optimise the user experience on mobile devices.; ; Additionally, Astun offers native Mobile services for iOS and Android.
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Description of service interface: Full details of the service interfaces can be found in the Service Definition.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Accessibility testing: A formal accessibility review was carried out by RNIB against WCAG 2.0 AA of the My Haringey (iShare Maps) implementation, plus one of their pages with an embedded map and lookup (iShare API) in 2018. Following this review, a number of minor issues were addressed in the core product to ensure that the system was fully compliant and accessible for people using screen readers and other assistive devices. Whilst formal testing has not been undertaken against WCAG 2.1 AA, we believe the solution is compliant.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: IShare offers an SDK, developer APIs and Developer Tools that give them the opportunity to utilise the power of iShare within their websites, including:; ; 1. Embedded Maps:; ; iShare allows a developer to embed interactive and static web maps within a web page with full control over map size, centre, zoom and layers displayed e.g to display schools and libraries around a user’s location on an education page.; ; 2. Local Info:; ; iShare allows a developer to embed textual content based upon a spatial search e.g. Bin Collection day, Council Tax charge, elected members or nearest planning applications within the relevant service page.; ; 3. Address Searching:; ; Astun supply two different Web Services which allow customers to perform Address Searches on any web page.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • Other
• API sandbox or test environment: No
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: System Administrators have full control over the data that appears with the different iShare interfaces and can customise the way it is presented to end users, both textually and cartographically.; ; The styling of all public facing elements of the service can be customised in accordance with your organisations branding.; ; Print Templates in iShare GIS (intranet) can be customised in accordance with your organisations branding.; ; Initial customisation is normally undertaken by Astun Technology as part of the initial implementation.; ; Post implementation, customisation of the solution is normally undertaken by the customers system administrators and their web team.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Customers have their own dedicated virtual private cloud.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Customers can obtain metrics using Google Analytics.

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Up to Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations:
  • United Kingdom
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
• User control over data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Datacentre security standards: Managed by a third party
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest: 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

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: The administration console (iShare Studio) can be used to export data in a wide variety of formats.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats:
  • All common data formats as supported by GDAL/OGR
  • OGC Web Services
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data import formats:
  • All common data formats as supported by GDAL/OGR
  • OGC Web Services

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • 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: IShare in the Cloud is hosted on a high availability cloud infrastructure with a failover backup to at least three independent data centres for maximum resilience.; ; Internal availability testing indicates availability in excess of 99.6%; ; Response times for map rendering are typically less than 1 second at the server.; ; The services are continually monitored with automated messages sent to several staff in the event of a deterioration or failure.
• Approach to resilience: IShare in the Cloud is hosted within the Amazon Web Services environment (AWS).; ; The entire cloud environment is backed up to at least three independent data centres to provide additional resilience in the unlikely event that the primary availability zone becomes unavailable.
• Outage reporting: Astun set up a series of alarms to monitor the customer's cloud service. These alarms are triggered if any pre-set limits to system resources are reached (e.g. disk space). This enables Astun to address the majority of issues before any potential outage.; ; We also use our GeoHealth check system to monitor servers and ensure they are up and working.; ; The customer is informed of any potential problems by email or phone.

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)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Access to management interfaces are restricted to login in via remote desktop over a dedicated VPN between customer network estate and the virtual private cloud environment dedicated to the customer. Access by Astun is also over VPN.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication: Dedicated link (for example VPN)

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

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Other security certifications: No

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: No
• Security governance approach: Astun has a formal Information Security Policy that provides a framework for the management of information security within our business processes.
• Information security policies and processes: In addition to our Information Security Policy (see above) we are also Cyber Essentials Plus accredited. ; ; iShare in the Cloud is hosted on Amazon Web Services (which is ISO 27001 accredited). ; ; Users should make appropriate decisions regarding what data to deploy within iShare in the Cloud. ; ; Integration with back office systems can support the dynamic spatialisation of data sets that are not hosted within the iShare SDW for added security.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Changes to all Astun components are managed and tracked through their lifetime via a centralised bug-tracking, issue-tracking and project-management software application (JIRA) and associated private code repository (BitBucket) managed under source control. The software is built through a repeatable build process and after passing formally defined test cases is tagged to a specific version number at the point of release. Only released software is deployed to the customer virtual private cloud environments. Potential security impacts are assessed via a process of peer review.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: Information on potential threats is continuously assessed through review of key online resources (release notes, security articles etc) for all third party components (operating systems, databases, frameworks etc). Penetration testing of the full system (including Astun components) is undertaken by independent third parties on all significant software releases. Whilst patch releases are routinely issued on a monthly basis, key security vulnerabilities are patched and released as soon as Astun become aware of them, irrespective of the stage in the release cycle.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: All cloud servers are set up with alarms that monitor key system resources on the server itself allowing the detection of compromises such as denial of service attacks. In addition external monitoring services are set up to make routine periodic requests to the servers (typically every 15 mins), to check that they remain responsive, and send out alerts if any servers are unavailable. Incidents are responded to as soon as we become aware of them. Logging is enabled on the servers to provide an audit trail of potential compromises for subsequent investigation.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: Security related incidents are categorised as a Priority 1 within our Service Desk system, and allocated to third line support personnel (developer) for immediate investigation and resolution. Users are able to report such incidents via the Service Desk (phone, email and web form), which is routinely monitored throughout the working day by first line support staff. Contemporaneous notes are taken during the incident and recorded against the service desk ticket, which provides a detailed report of the incident itself. Key performance indicators are also published from the Service Desk System and routinely reviewed by management on a weekly basis.

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Supplier-defined process

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

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

  Fighting climate change

  To address climate change challenges, and meet their Net Zero commitments, senior managers need up-to-date information to support their decision making. Their support staff need to collect, analyse, and visualise spatial data in order to provide this to them. Using our solutions, organisations can undertake the required climate change research, planning, and management at all levels. Organizations can harness the power of location intelligence, by including this data within GIS maps, helping them to identify vulnerable areas susceptible to climate change impacts, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, or heatwaves. Targeted strategies can then be developed to mitigate risks, adapt infrastructure, and protect communities. A typical example being flood relief schemes. We would be happy to discuss how we address social value within our own organisation using EcoVardis and how we might address this specifically for your project.

  Covid-19 recovery

  To effectively plan recovery from Covid-19, senior managers need up-to-date information about their communities. The impact of COVID-19 varies greatly by location, so our solutions can help organisations to harness the power of location intelligence to monitor future outbreaks and plan recovery at all levels, from national to local neighbourhoods. By including demographic data and health service facility locations, within GIS maps, organisations can see how these impact the response to the virus within local communities. This data is critical to stabilise services and inform recovery plans. Our syndicated data services include access to NHS Choices data providing much of the key data required as standard. A typical example is Walsall Council, who provided relevant information to their customers during the pandemic using our solutions. We would be happy to discuss how we address social value within our own organisation using EcoVardis and how we might address this specifically for your project.

  Tackling economic inequality

  To effectively tackle economic inequality, senior managers need to understand the spatial patterns and trends of various indicators of inequality, such as income, education, health, crime, and environmental quality. Economic inequality varies greatly by location, so our solution can help organisations to harness the power of location intelligence to tackle economic inequality, at all levels, from national to local neighbourhoods. By combining household income survey data with demographic data within GIS maps, organisations can identify the areas and populations that are most vulnerable, marginalized, or disadvantaged, and inform the allocation of resources and interventions accordingly. We would be happy to discuss how we address social value within our own organisation using EcoVardis and how we might address this specifically for your project.

  Equal opportunity

  To address Equal Opportunity, senior managers need to understand the spatial patterns and trends of various indicators of inequality, such as income, education, health, crime, and environmental quality. Economic inequality varies greatly by location, so our solutions can help organisations to harness the power of location intelligence to tackle economic inequality, at all levels, from national to local neighbourhoods. Organizations can harness the power of location intelligence to understand racial equity in communities and make more equitable decisions. At all levels, from national to local neighbourhoods, organisations can use our solutions to better engage communities and understand the impact of historic and present-day decisions and policies on those communities. Our solutions can provide insight into patterns of inequality, to clearly identify issues of racial equity and social justice, and can provide a common understanding across communities to affect positive change in support of equitable communities. We would be happy to discuss how we address social value within our own organisation using EcoVardis and how we might address this specifically for your project.

  Wellbeing

  To address wellbeing, senior managers need to access appropriate information to support their decision making. Their support staff need to collect, analyse, and visualise spatial data in order to provide this to them. Using our solutions, organisations can address all issues of health equity, including those related to mental health service provision. Organizations can harness the power of location intelligence to visualise social factors, within GIS maps, such as poverty and education levels, which are integral in understanding health disparities and allows them to identify patterns, gaps in provision and develop potential solutions and make informed commissioning decisions at all levels, from national to local neighbourhoods. We would be happy to discuss how we address social value within our own organisation using EcoVardis and how we might address this specifically for your project.

Pricing

• Price: £3,525 to £52,925 a licence a year
• Discount for educational organisations: Yes
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: The scope of the trial will be by agreement.; ; The customer may be required to pay for the services required to set up the trial.

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