Sarax Limited
Cloud Application Support
Sarax provides personalised ongoing support services for Cloud solutions, defining service levels in agreement with the users dependent on key factors including: business criticality, business usage, budget. This ensures that the client has the flexibility to maximise the operational efficiency and cost effectiveness of its systems based on real demand.
Features
- Support design based on users needs
- Scalable service
- Timely product update regime
- System usage paterns monitored
- Adjustment of instance type and size, based on real demand
- Pro-active operational management (e.g. Security, Performance, Availability, Cost)
- Network storage management
- Ongoing system optimisation
- Controlled application of vendor updates
Benefits
- Reduction in overall spend (e.g. efficient use of instance type/size)
- Cost effective solution based on users real needs
- Improved operational efficiency through ongoing usage monitoring
- Low risk of operational downtime
- Consistent level of service and user experience delivered
- Increased levels of management information at no additional cost
Pricing
£336 to £2,380 a person a day
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 mark.balaam@sarax.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
9 9 4 9 6 8 6 3 8 2 2 7 1 9 1
Contact
Sarax Limited
Mark Balaam
Telephone: 07775 930125
Email: mark.balaam@sarax.co.uk
Planning
- Planning service
- Yes
- How the planning service works
- Planning of ongoing support starts during the definition of business requirements and benefits analysis to ensure the whole operational lifecycle of aspects of the proposed service are taken into consideration during the design phase. Sarax provides expert advice and guidance for this to help clients understand the impact of early decisions on the resultant service level and costs. This enables the solution design and support service design to results. In the context of this baseline the support design and planning team can provide support and direction through the solution design and procurement activities. Additionally, the nature of the support requirements can be discussed, reviewed and agreed during development to derive the support model and implementation plan well in advance of the testing and commissioning phase. This facilitates a smooth transition between the development and support teams at the point of commissioning. It will also provide input to the operational business change plan, particularly in identifying user training needs. Support levels, response times and governance mechanisms will be agreed and monitored during execution to provide an efficient low risk support service. Sarax provides clear and simple management monitoring tools to control and refine the ongoing support service.
- Planning service works with specific services
- No
Training
- Training service provided
- No
Setup and migration
- Setup or migration service available
- Yes
- How the setup or migration service works
-
A discovery and assessment process is performed to create a list of applications to be migrated and understand the application usage (validating SLA and high availability requirements). Applications are evaluated for cloud eligibility and desirability. The application interdependencies, network configurations and security and compliance requirements are established.
Subsequently a planning phase is executed to: define a strategy for each application, develop a data migration and synchronization strategy and look at a replication or streaming plan. The cloud infrastructure design would include services such as networking and security to ensure the right mix of storage.
The pilot and testing phase validates the test data migration and synchronization, measures performance, validates security controls and evaluates the cloud footprint costs. Any necessary changes required for migration are documented and the time required for the application cut over is establish. Any downtime is communicated to the users and ensure that mitigations are put in place where possible.
Client teams are supported through the migration, typically using a phased approach, to allow ongoing progress review and plan adjustment if material diversions from the plan occur. Migration is monitored, reviewed and adjusted accordingly and then transitioned into IT to successfully manage ongoing operations. - Setup or migration service is for specific cloud services
- No
Quality assurance and performance testing
- Quality assurance and performance testing service
- No
Security testing
- Security services
- No
Ongoing support
- Ongoing support service
- Yes
- Types of service supported
- Hosting or software provided by a third-party organisation
- How the support service works
-
Support of cloud services primarily is provided by ensuring that users are facilitated appropriately and cost effectively, usage habits are tracked to ensure that clients maximise the cloud’s highly dynamic environment. This ensures that the client has flexibility to provision and adjust instance type and size, based on real demand.
The service ensures that the cloud vendor’s product updates are applied and continually investigates new ways of working enabling clients to continue to optimize their operational efficiency. It is key to build the maintenance and transparency layers in parallel so that IT departments can properly manage security, performance, availability (backup and DR) and cost.
Management tools that are provided by the cloud vendor are utilised and APIs can be developed to tailor the clients own solutions into the cloud.
Sarax continues to evaluate the marketplace to find products that can further support clients with operations such as monitoring, backup automation and cloud firewall management as needed.
Service scope
- Service constraints
- None
User support
- Email or online ticketing support
- Yes, at extra cost
- Support response times
-
Support response times
Standard working day is between 9am and 5pm. Acknowledgement within 1 hour, formal response within 24 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
- No
- Support levels
-
Support levels are provided on a case by case basis dependent on user needs and budget.
The team definition will be agreed with the client as appropriate and priced from the supplied rate card (see Pricing Document).
Resellers
- Supplier type
- Reseller providing extra support
- Organisation whose services are being resold
- Imabi Ltd and imabi CIC
Staff security
- Staff security clearance
- Other security clearance
- Government security clearance
- Up to Security Clearance (SC)
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
- No
- Other security certifications
- No
Social Value
- Social Value
-
Social Value
- Fighting climate change
- Covid-19 recovery
- Tackling economic inequality
- Equal opportunity
- Wellbeing
Fighting climate change
Sarax has an 8-point plan to combat climate change, through our products, employees and our actions. We would be willing to discuss how we can measure these outcomes on each of the G-Cloud call off contracts.
1. Measure and Analyse Greenhouse Gas. We measure CO2 emissions through a number of several approved applications and we have a 5-year plan to reduce our emissions.
2. Reducing Energy Consumption. As a business Sarax follows best practice regarding energy consumption things simple things such as turning off the lights in the office in the evening, slightly lowering the heating or the air conditioning.
3. Reduce Waste and Fight Obsolescence. We actively reduce the amount of waste we generate. Whether it is the industrial waste from installations to avoiding disposable cups, all of our staff and customers are encouraged to adopt an eco-entrepreneur mindset.
4. Optimise Employees’ Transportation. As we know, transportation is one of the largest sectors of greenhouse gas emissions. We encourage employees to take public transit, to carpool with other colleagues living close by.
5. Choose Greener Infrastructures and Equipment. We will always choose more environment-friendly infrastructures such as new printers, air conditioners, laptops, screens, bulbs or office materials.
6. Choose Sustainable Suppliers. We strive to partner with suppliers who demonstrate they have good environmental practices we will change to more sustainable suppliers if the old ones refuse to change practices.
7. Raise Awareness Among Employees, Clients and Other Stakeholders. We proactively raise awareness on our employees, consumers, through our guidance and reporting capabilities this best practices is then reproduced at home and transmitted to friends giving a snowball effect.
8. Promote Environmentally Friendly Ways of Working. We promote flexible working patterns such as telecommuting and video conferences that avoid employees traveling by car for meetings with clients.Covid-19 recovery
The complex global environment of factors such as the Covid 19 pandemic it is now more critical than ever to make it possible for us and our customers to continue their operations and help respond to the unique demands that businesses may be facing.
Sarax has been in business for decades delivering the mission-critical work that keeps every organisation – especially those in the public sector – operational and successful. At this challenging time, our customers can count on us to support their organisation.
Sarax leadership is continually reviewing and assessing the landscape that now exists in the present and the future due to Covid 19, looking to appropriately respond to the crisis as it evolves. We believe that everyone’s health and welfare are a priority, as most of Sarax employees are now working remotely or from home. We have developed online collaboration capabilities to help ensure business continuity and we’re working tirelessly to help everyone stay safe while at the same time continuing to serve our customers.
We will work with each G-Cloud call off contracts to define the levels of safe working and how we can assist in defining outcomes for Covid recovery in the geographical region where they are based.Tackling economic inequality
Sarax has a number of initiatives that help tackle economic inequality. We will work with each G-Cloud call of contract to define the outcomes appropriate for that contract. We will then have a monthly reporting mechanism to demonstrate how these outcomes are being achieved. Some examples of these initiatives are:
1. Employment and education, Graduates. Sarax is proud to offer consulting, technology, and design graduate roles to kick-start graduate careers in all of our industry sectors. Successful candidates work on real projects, with real clients, all whilst being supported to gain as much as possible from the experience.
2. Employment and education, Internship. Sarax offers a growing number of students the opportunity to sharpen their skills and find their place in the professional world. Typically our interns join for a year-long period, with a view to gaining experience whilst brining value to the business. The 12 months with us are filled with opportunities to network, learn new skills, attend training, take part in events, and much more.
3. Business Growth and Creation, Prompt Payment. Sarax is committed to paying suppliers on time, giving clear guidance to suppliers and encouraging good payment practice. On average our suppliers are paid within 22 days following receipt of invoice.
4. Business Growth and Creation, Supplier Diversity. Sarax is committed to working with small, diverse, high-quality suppliers. Our supplier diversity policy endeavours, on a good-faith effort basis, to work with and develop small, minority, and women-owned businesses. We are always looking for small and diverse suppliers that can deliver creative, high-quality products and services. Ultimately, our goal is to diversify our supplier base by encouraging these small and diverse suppliers to compete for business.Equal opportunity
Sarax is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to ensuring that no person is discriminated in our company or supply chain for any reason. We have a number of initiatives that promote a diverse workforce and will work with each G-Cloud call of contract to define the outcomes appropriate for that contract. We will then have a monthly reporting mechanism to demonstrate how these outcomes are being achieved. Some examples of these initiatives are:
1. Accessibility. Sarax is committed to creating accessible technologies and products that enhance the overall workplace environment and contribute to the productivity of our employees, our customers, and our customers’ customers. We recognise the need for our applications, and our customers’ and partners’ products built with our tools, to be usable by the disabled community. Our accessibility philosophy definiens and recommends the corporate standards for accessibility and developing materials to train all employees so that they can successfully create products that meet those standards.
2. Mandatory training. Sarax promotes mandatory training for equality for all employees, this includes a compliance training programme and for employees and all new hires joining Sarax
3. Harmony at work. As a business we embrace full inclusivity and belonging within a progressive modern workplace. We deliver education through our guidance catalogue for employees and customers. We aim to raise awareness and share best practices on improving wider representations amongst employees with protected characteristics.
4. Modern slavery policy. Sarax is fully committed to a work environment and supply chain that is free from human trafficking and slavery. We will not tolerate or condone human trafficking or slavery in any part of our organisation, be it supply chain or internal.Wellbeing
Sarax is committed to the well being of our employees, customers and the wider public. In particular we have developed solutions to addressing personal safety for all. We will work with each G-Cloud call of contract to define the outcomes appropriate for that contract. We will then have a monthly reporting mechanism to demonstrate how these outcomes are being achieved. Some examples of these initiatives are:
1. Targeted Wellbeing Campaigns. Sarax utilises the imabi Pro workplace application that provides targeted wellbeing campaigns such as sleep training, mindfulness, and mental health awareness. We use imabi as a wellbeing communication channel, with all employees now utilising the application with high levels of engagement. A monthly wellbeing employee newsletter is generated and delivered to employees with a dedicated application containing all the available resources in one place.
2. Wellbeing Training. Imabi regularly delivers both manager and employee training on a variety of wellbeing topics, including mental health, which are available in real-time and on demand. Examples include, Stress Awareness and Mental Health. We also provide employees and their dependants with access to a free and confidential Employee Assistance Programme, offering emotional and practical support should they need.
Pricing
- Price
- £336 to £2,380 a person a day
- Discount for educational organisations
- No
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 mark.balaam@sarax.co.uk.
Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.