Critical Network Services & Enterprise Cloud Solutions Datrix Cloud Network Monitoring Solutions G Cloud 7 Author: Sam Wray Date: 6 th October 2015 Version: 2.0
Table of Contents Key Service Benefits... 3 Technical... 3 Business... 3 Introduction to Datrix... 4 Overview... 4 Ethos... 4 Critical Network Services... 4 Enterprise Cloud... 4 Managed Services and Support... 5 Experience... 5 Introduction to the Monitoring Service... 6 Introduction... 6 Solution Overview... 6 Availability and Fault Monitoring... 6 Performance and Capacity... 6 Configuration Management... 7 NOC Services... 7 Customer Experience and Application Performance Management... 8 Asset Management... 8 Open Standards... 8 Open Source... 8 Service Details... 9 On-Boarding and Provisioning... 9 Technical Requirements... 9 Off-Boarding and Data Extraction... 9 Elasticity of Resources... 10 Compatibility... 10 Additional Datrix Service Information... 11 Datrix, Information Principles and the Government ICT Strategy... 11 Cloud Services Delivering on Green Promises... 12 Service Trials... 13 UK Public Sector Experience... 13 Training... 13 Terms and Conditions... 13 Ordering and Invoicing Processes... 14 Service Failure Penalties... 14 Termination Terms... 15 Commercial in Confidence 06/10/15 2
Key Service Benefits Technical 1. Server Monitoring 2. Network Monitoring 3. Infrastructure Monitoring 4. Environmental Monitoring 5. Infrastructure Performance Analysis 6. Capacity Planning 7. Fault Monitoring 8. Configuration Management 9. Asset Management 10. Application Performance Management Business 1. Improve IT Support Productivity 2. Make IT Departments Proactive 3. Simplify Troubleshooting 4. Improve IT Capacity Planning 5. Reduce Unnecessary Spending 6. Improve IT Performance 7. Enhance User Experience 8. Effectively Manage Assets 9. Reduce IT Resolution Times 10. Plan for the Future and Predict Problems Before They Happen Commercial in Confidence 06/10/15 3
Introduction to Datrix Overview Since 1994, Datrix have been supporting our clients in the delivery of their Critical IT Services. Built upon exceptionally strong technical foundations, Datrix pride ourselves on the technical quality that we deliver in all aspects of our work. By ensuring that we deliver the highest possible technical standards in every customer engagement, whether project based or the result of a technical support requirement, we hope to offer an exceptional service to our clients and to deliver constant improvement to their IT Services. As a result, we expect our Client s IT departments to deliver service excellence to their business and to develop IT into a critical business asset. Ethos As a business, Datrix believe that IT should be the foundation of any successful business. By ensuring that IT is an unseen enabler for businesses rather than an obvious limiting factor which hinders the business, we believe that businesses can truly benefit from the significant investments they make in IT and recognise significant gains in efficiency, productivity and profitability. In order to ensure that we deliver excellence in everything that we do, Datrix maintain a strong focus on our core ideologies, technologies and partners. We aim to specialise in everything that we do and be at the forefront of technical experience and innovation with all our vendors. In order to do so, we focus our business in three key areas: Critical Network Services The cornerstone and foundation of the Datrix business, our network infrastructure services and our focus on the delivery of those services into critical business environments are the basis on to which we believe all strong and proactive IT infrastructures should be deployed. We work with only the very best technology vendors in the industry to provide our clients with highly optimised, secure, reliable and scalable network solutions. Harnessing the latest, most appropriate technologies available and our unparalleled experience and partner relationships, Datrix provide organisations with a competitive advantage that maximises your return on investment. A well designed, resilient and capable network infrastructure forms the foundation of the enterprise data and communication landscape. Our wired network solutions utilise industry leading technologies to provide our clients with unparalleled network availability and security, with granular visibility and control over the entire network deployment. Enterprise Cloud Cloud has been an IT industry buzzword for a number of years, and is still a term which means different things to different people. The Datrix Cloud business delivers services across three broad categories; Public Cloud, Private Cloud and Hybrid Cloud. The technologies that we offer from our Cloud platforms have all been built upon industry leading vendor technology to ensure that they are suitable for all IT environments. We deliver enterprise class services, designed to meet the needs of large corporate users, but we enable them both technically and commercially for businesses of all sizes. 4
Our managed cloud solutions provide organisations with on-demand, scaleable and flexible provisioning of IT services, including hosted infrastructure, backup, disaster recovery and communications. Deployed from our secure cloud platform as a public cloud offering, or available as private or hybrid cloud deployments, Datrix cloud solutions offer enterprises increased efficiency, simplified management and lower total cost of ownership for core IT functions. Managed Services and Support To complement our technology portfolio, Datrix have developed a comprehensive service and support offerings. Delivered from our secure 24x7 NOC in central London, our services have been approved for delivery to UK Government organisations including NHS hospitals, Councils and the Ministry of Defence. With services ranging from basic break-fix maintenance and support agreements to fully outsourced managed services, our services offer clients the flexibility and support they need to feel comfortable and confident that their IT will be always-on With Tier 3 escalation onsite and direct access to technical support and development engineering resources from our key vendors, our customers can feel confident that resolutions to even the most complex issues can be achieved promptly and effectively. IT is the cornerstone of modern business operations and correctly functioning technology is essential to the efficiency and productivity of your organisation. When choosing Datrix you are choosing more than just an IT support provider, you are choosing a true strategic business partner, with over 20 years of refined skills and expertise in managing, maintaining and optimising IT systems and infrastructures. Whether your business is small or large, managing your IT systems can be a challenge, and a drain on your resources. Outsourcing your support to Datrix allows you to focus on your core business with peace of mind knowing that your IT systems will be fully available at all times. Our proactive monitoring systems work around the clock to ensure that we are quickly aware of any problems in your IT infrastructure, before they become disruptive to your business. Experience Datrix have been delivering IT services for more than two decades. In that time, we have worked with clients from almost every industry, and delivered technology from a broad range of IT vendors. We have carried out migrations in some of the UK s most complex environments and delivered IT services to some of the UK s most critical organisations. We have a broad range of experience in the UK Public Sector which has recently been recognised through the award of a place on 6 lots of RM1045 (the new Network Services framework) and on 6 lots of RM1058. This recognition comes as a result of our commitment to delivering exceptional services to the public sector. We work with 25 of the UK s leading Acute and Foundation NHS Trusts as well as delivering services to a number of local and central government organisations and to the Ministry of Defence. Outside of the Public Sector, Datrix work with a broad range of private sector bodies including those in finance, media, utilities and manufacturing and we are proud to have used our skills and experience in this broad spectrum of industries to deliver outstanding service and innovation to all our customers. 5
Introduction to the Monitoring Service Introduction Your IT Infrastructure has never been more crucial to the delivery of your services and the day to day operation of your organisation. However, from talking to our customers we know that running monitoring systems often proves to be a labour intensive distraction for your busy IT staff with the investment falling in to disuse due to other pressures on their time. This means you have possibly spent a considerable amount of money on consultancy, hardware and software purchases, hidden salary costs, software maintenance and product training on what ultimately becomes shelfware, delivering minimal technical or business benefit. In contrast the Datrix Infrastructure Management Cloud (IMC) delivers a powerful, cost effective and scalable solution that delivers exactly what you need from simple up/down monitoring to sophisticated Business Service Management. Solution Overview IMC is a complete managed service that includes all the hardware, software and services required to deliver your desired level of IT Infrastructure monitoring and management. Our core systems are located in our Tier 3 data centres and can be delivered over public sector networks such as the N3. Depending on the solution required we may install a collector and/or poller system on your site. IMC utilises the very best commercial monitoring software available from leading vendors such as CA, Solarwinds and Kasaya this is a freeware free zone! Availability and Fault Monitoring Choose from our straightforward up/down monitoring to our highly intelligent management solution that maximises network uptime by identifying the root cause of failures. As well as device outages we can also monitor the modular components of your chassis and switch stack products so that the failure of a line card, stack member or other field replaceable unit isn t overlooked. Redundant power supplies, cooling fans and switch temperature are also monitored as these can all cause issues which will affect availability in the longer term. If you have redundant or trunk links in your network are you aware if any of the individual paths are down? We monitor these links and their component ports as well as the devices connected via them so we can see when resilience and/or bandwidth is lost. Availability Once you are ready we can discuss the exciting benefits of monitoring availability from a Business Service Management perspective. Performance and Capacity We can monitor all the key performance metrics such as utilisation, errors and discards on links to CPU and memory utilisation on switches and servers. These metrics are given appropriate thresholds and if any of these is exceeded for longer than the proscribed time period an alarm is raised. In addition you can see real time graphs through the easy to use and powerful console. 6
Take performance management to the next level with our advanced solutions. Providing superb graphing of statistical information and custom dashboards. A key feature is dynamic thresholding which determines whether utilisation is significantly different to its usual pattern. This functionality works for interfaces and monitored elements such as CPU and memory so you can say goodbye to false positives and hello to actionable information. If you wish to know what is eating up your bandwidth just add Performance our Flow Analysis Module. For both performance management and flow analysis our solutions provide capacity planning and baselining information that will help you plan for the future. Configuration Management Network device configurations can either be simply backed up on a regular basis or we can provide advanced cpnfiguration management where configurations can be automatically captured when a change occurs and stored within the management server s database. This allows configuration changes to analysed to help determine root cause (ie if a configuration change happens within a defined period of an issue it will be considered as a possible root cause). As the reliability of hardware has improved it is an acknowledge truth that configuration errors are one of the most common causes of network outages and performance issues so tracking these changes and being able to rapidly roll back the configuration is essential in minimizing mean time to repair (MTTR). Our Configuration Policy Management module allows the tracking of configuration changes and/or if a configuration differs from the reference configuration. It also raises alarms if mandatory lines of a configuration are missing or undesirable ones such as the SNMP community of public are configured. For extra peace of mind your configurations are also automatically copied to an external directory and then to offsite storage for disaster recovery purposes. NOC Services The NOC team at Datrix can monitor your infrastructure to ensure that any incidents are dealt with as quickly as possible. In addition they will use their skills and information from the management systems to proactively detect any issues that could potentially affect performance and availability. Knowing there is an issue and dealing with it before it causes a failure is major contributor to improved service availability. The NOC team will of course always keep you fully updated of the status of any incidents but in addition you have the option of automated email and/or SMS alerts so you will always be in touch with the status of your infrastructure. 7
Customer Experience and Application Performance Management Monitor live transactions across your network and to cloud services and alert on any failed transactions or performance issues using our Customer Experience and APM modules. Determine whether latency is network or server side and discover the root cause of poor performance. Asset Management Report on the part numbers and serial numbers of your equipment, software and firmware revisions, the installed software on your clients and servers and more. Understand how many ports in your network are really in use regardless of whether all the ports are populated with cables, preventing the unnecessary purchase of new switches and helping with network refresh planning. Open Standards All aspects of the Datrix Cloud infrastructure are based on technology from providers with a core focus on Open Standards and are therefore also delivered using an open-architecture and standards-based approach. For IMC, our solutions utilise standard SNMP version 1,2 and 3 for device polling and traps. In addition we have the ability to interface with non SNMP systems. Our systems utilise industry standard applications and protocols such as Java, XML and HTTP. Open Source As a result of the commitment to Open Standards, some features and components within certain products that make up the Datrix solution include elements derived from the Open Source community. Exact details of the solution components which include Open Source elements are available on request and under NDA. Some of our systems run on Linux operating systems. 8
Service Details On-Boarding and Provisioning The on-boarding process will depend on the specific level of service chosen by the client. As a generic example, a basic monitoring service will require a defined period of time to gather information and configure the Cloud based service to ensure visibility of all devices. Clients will be responsible for ensuring that all devices are visible to the Cloud based server. After a short period of data collection, an onsite review will be held to ensure that all information is being captured and to define the levels of reporting that are required. Quarterly reviews will then be conducted to ensure that the monitored device pool is up to date and to deliver service reviews etc. As part of any on-boarding and design process, Datrix will work closely with our clients to ensure that the solution proposed and chosen is directly in keeping with the business drivers of the customer. Regular service reviews will be conducted to ensure that we continue to meet these needs. Technical Requirements Datrix work with all customers to define the exact technical requirements for each individual solution and depending on the features and functionality chosen, technical requirements will be different on a customer by customer basis. However, certain pre-requisites are likely to be essential for every customer wishing to deploy IMC. The following list encompasses the core technical pre-requisites for the solution: Site to site VPN tunnel between Datrix which allows access to relevant devices at the Datrix data centre and the customer site. Configuration of Firewall rules and routing to allow communication between the monitored devices and the systems used to deliver and support the service located at the Datrix data centre or at the customer site. Configuration of monitored devices to allow the Datrix IMC servers to poll them. This can be carried out by the customer or can be included as an optional service. Off-Boarding and Data Extraction If a client wishes to terminate their service from Datrix, this process is as simple as the on-boarding process. Datrix will work with the customer to ensure a seamless migration to a new service including assisting with the migration of other Cloud services to a new provider if required. Again, Open Standards can be beneficial in any migration situation because the Datrix Cloud Service is able to operate and inter-operate with third party solutions. Datrix will work with the customer and any new service provider to ensure a seamless transition of service. If a client wishes to terminate their IMC service from Datrix will ensure that any information held is dealt with in accordance with Datrix s specified information security policy and in line with guidelines set out within the Data Protection Act for the achievement of the ISO27001 accreditation, Datrix will ensure that any client information is held for no longer than is necessary. Datrix hold regular internal data reviews to ensure that any data which is no longer relevant to the business is securely destroyed. 9
Elasticity of Resources The Datrix Cloud Wireless infrastructure is delivered as an elastic resource. Large amounts of spare access point licensing capacity are available at all times and there is no specific restriction for any individual client as to how many wireless access points they can have installed but clients do need to contact Datrix to request additional access points and to ensure that these access points are provisioned appropriately. The exact nature of the Datrix Cloud model is such that users are charged for the number of access points they have connected at any given time and are free to expand upon this number of access points at any time. As a general rule, Datrix do not expect vast increases in the number of access points in use at any given time for each client and generally any increases will need to be planned as further surveys would need to be carried out for expansion. Spare capacity is always available to our clients however and as a business, we conduct regular reviews of the installed base on our infrastructure to ensure that our capacity is always in keeping with demand. The Datrix Cloud Wireless service has no burstable resources associated with it. Compatibility Because of the inherent focus on Open Standards within the solution, the Datrix IMC service is compatible with a vast array of network and server from the leading vendors. From a software perspective we can provide optional integration with 3rd party systems that the customer may already own such as Microsoft SCOM. 10
Additional Datrix Service Information Datrix, Information Principles and the Government ICT Strategy Datrix have a broad range of experience working in the UK Public Sector and deliver a variety of solutions across the NHS, Education, Local Government and Government Funded organizations. As a result of this experience, Datrix have developed our strategy and the way in which we do business to be in keeping with the expectations set out by the Government. Datrix recognize that the UK Public Sector is being driven towards prioritizing information as an enablement tool throughout the public sector. From top level policy decisions to the public s day to day interaction with their local services, information and information technology are the key drivers for improving the services offered by the UK Public Sector. Transparency and openness of information are seen as key to enabling innovation in the public sector and ensuring that individual customers of the public sector are able to make informed decisions about the services that they consume. As an overall commitment to the value that Datrix place on Information and Information Management, Datrix will shortly be assessed for and expect to be awarded the ISO27001 certification. This certification recognizes our commitment to placing the appropriate value on our own information and that of our customers. By ensuring that we manage data appropriately as an organization, storing, re-using and destroying data as appropriate, we set a solid foundation and example to our clients and expand upon our own experience to deliver an appropriate Information Strategy for our clients. By enabling secure access to information at the access level and secure retention and protection of data in core environments, Datrix contribute to the promotion of free and open access to information by securing data and managing data access to protect data from loss, unauthorized access and inappropriate use. As an organization who have become responsible for assisting UK government bodies with the development of their Information Strategies, Datrix have a focus on ensuring that all aspects of our business are dedicated to delivering on the government outlined information principles. Where the government information principles are displayed in a pyramid hierarchy, Datrix s involvement tends to be at both the top and the bottom of the pyramid. The Cloud Services outlined in this document are consistent with that involvement. Datrix see that our Cloud Backup service is a key part of ensuring that information is treated as a valued asset and appropriately protected. Information should be seen as one of the most valuable assets within an organization and should be appropriately protected. By delivering a comprehensive and secure backup infrastructure, this data is protected and can be efficiently and effectively restored if required. Datrix believe that without the provision of an appropriate backup strategy as part of a strong overall Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Strategy, organizations put their data at unnecessary risk. Particularly in the public sector where large quantities of public data are retained, such strategies are critical to placing the appropriate value on Information and managing it accordingly. By being able to rely on a strong information protection strategy, organizations are able to share and reuse information in a secure and appropriate way and do not need to be unnecessarily risk averse in their use of public data and information. This approach enables greater innovation in Information Strategy. 11
Cloud Wireless sits at both ends of the pyramid. By securely and appropriately managing access to data, wireless technology can help to protect and manage information but also ensure that published information can be accessed by citizens and businesses in an appropriate fashion. Ensuring that throughout the data access process, data is secure and only accessed by the appropriate individuals is a key component of a successful Information Security policy. By giving individuals appropriate access to relevant data, individuals can be proactive in accessing their own information. Cloud Communications can enable all principles but are probably at their most important when they are used to ensure that information is readily and easily accessible and that appropriate people are available where necessary to discuss and review the information. By ensuring that individuals have access to appropriate data, individuals become empowered but Datrix believe that it only becomes truly valuable for individuals to have access to their data if they also have access to the relevant individuals to ensure that data is appropriately used. By enabling simplified and more productive communication, Datrix believe that individuals really will have the power to use their information productively and effectively. Cloud Services Delivering on Green Promises Datrix have made a significant decision to invest heavily in delivering Cloud technology. This decision was made because we believe it allows our customers to benefit not just from economies of scale from a commercial perspective but also economies of scale from an environmental perspective. By consolidating the centralized resources for a number of critical IT services, organizations not only save money but also reduce their energy footprint. This is not simply a case of moving energy consumption from one organization to another; by running large centralized servers, Datrix are able to reduce the power consumption per user or per instance and therefore improve Green credentials for our own business and our clients. By sharing resources between organizations, Datrix are able to ensure that there are no redundant resources and by allowing organizations to share resources with one another without compromising information security, Datrix can manage total resource requirements appropriately and deliver efficiencies wherever available. Datrix have a commitment to ensuring that our business and the business of our suppliers are in keeping with modern environmental expectations. Datrix have achieved the ISO14001 standard for environmental management and expect similar or greater commitment from our suppliers. Due to the close nature of our relationship with our suppliers, Datrix are in a position to put pressure on those organizations to ensure that the design, manufacture and distribution of all products that make up the Datrix Cloud supply chain is as environmentally friendly as possible. By offering certain elements of onsite infrastructure on an infrastructure as a service basis and by operating a multi-tenanted, shared infrastructure within the Cloud, the Datrix Cloud Service ensures that any equipment or capacity which is surplus to requirement can be re-used or recycled and delivered to other clients, again ensuring that all surpluses are kept to a minimum. It is not just the way in which the services are delivered which drive environmental efficiencies but also the services themselves. Particularly the Unified Communications solutions, in that they enable geographically diverse collaboration which reduces the need for travel and therefore reduces the carbon footprint of all Datrix clients. By reducing the need to travel through video conferencing and web-collaboration, the Datrix Unified Communications service empowers businesses to drive behavioral change in the workplace and be more efficient in the way they carry out their business. 12
Where required and for accountability purposes, Datrix are happy to work with all our clients to measure the Green impact of a move to Cloud services and ensure that perceived benefits are truly being recognized. Service Trials Datrix recognize that moving to Cloud Services can represent a major change for a number of organizations and that this represents a daunting prospect for IT leaders. We therefore offer free trials of all our Cloud Services to allow organizations to properly assess the technology available to them. Generally these trials are offered on an sample basis (not a full infrastructure) and are usually limited to 30 days although this period can be extended with proper justification or the need for advanced testing of a specific featureset. To access a free trial of a Datrix Service, please contact the Datrix sales team. UK Public Sector Experience As referenced elsewhere in this document, Datrix have extensive experience in working with the UK Public Sector. This experience includes a number of NHS Trusts, educational establishments and local government organizations as well as central government bodies and publicly funded organizations. Due to the sensitive nature of some of the services provided to these companies and the public nature of this document, specific customer names and project outlines will not be documented here but are available on request by contacting the Datrix sales team who will endeavor to provide current and relevant examples for specific project requirements. Training Datrix recognize that user or client uptake is critical to ensuring the success of any ICT project. As part of our commitment to delivering successful projects, Datrix offer free training as standard on all Cloud Services deployments. The two training solutions that can be provided are: Train the trainer solution where an experienced Datrix trainer will train a specific group of users or staff within a client on the day-to-day management and usage of the system. Afterwards, these trained users will train the rest of the company users on how to use the system. Generic user training where a Datrix trainer will train users or staff directly on how to use the system. As part of all installations, key ICT staff are also encouraged to shadow the work of Datrix s engineers in order to develop a complete understanding of the solution being delivered and to empower them to assist in ensuring system uptake and project success. In addition to the training offered by Datrix, vendor training is available on all solutions (additional charges will apply) to allow ICT staff to gain formal accreditations if desired or required. Terms and Conditions Copies of the standard Datrix Terms and Conditions have been attached to the G-Cloud portal for review. However, Datrix understand that a number of public bodies have requirements for suppliers to accept their own terms and conditions and Datrix are more than happy to consider this or work to develop individual Terms and Conditions with any client on a case by case basis. 13
Ordering and Invoicing Processes The standard Datrix model for procurement is for suppliers to place a purchase order with Datrix who will then invoice for the service on completion of the service deployment. Cloud Services with fixed monthly fees are generally payable by Direct Debit and any with variable monthly fees are generally payable 30 days from the date of invoice. Invoices will be released monthly in arrears. Datrix are happy to consider working with clients on other order and invoice models but make no commitment to offering longer payment terms or accommodating unusual requirements. Service Failure Penalties Datrix currently have a number of different contractual arrangements in place with clients in relation to meeting SLAs and the appropriate penalties being in place for any failure to do so. Depending on the SLA specified, Datrix will work with individual clients to develop an appropriate model on a case by case basis. The following is a basic example of the type of arrangements available: A service credit regime will be defined as follows: All performance targets will be measured monthly; All Service Credits will be expressed as a percentage of the monthly invoice for the month in which the performance is measured; More than one credit can be applied in any one month. In the event that Datrix fail to meet the defined SLA, Datrix will: Credit Customer with Service Credits; Arrange all such additional resources as are necessary to perform the services in accordance with the Service Levels as soon as possible and at no additional charge to the client; Promptly re-perform any services as requested by Customer and at no additional charge; Provide details of the Service Credits to be applied within ninety days of the end of a Quarter in which the liability for the Service Credits arises; and Credit Customer with the agreed credits within thirty days of receipt of a valid claim. Datrix further proposes that the Service Credit is proportionate to the affected service and that Service Credits are taken as a % of the monthly charge as opposed to the entire invoice value. % of Request calls meeting Request Resolution time target Service Credit 99.00% 0% 90.00-98.99% 2% 80.00-89.99% 5% 70.00-79.99% 10% 60.00-69.99% 15% 50.00-59.99% 20% below 50% 50% 14
For example, in a month with 20 incident calls: 1. If Datrix fails to respond to 2 calls (10% of the total incident calls) within the required Response Time, Datrix would be required to provide a Service Credit of 2% against the Total Services cost for that month. 2. If Datrix fail to respond to 5 calls (25% of the total incident calls) within the required Response Time, the Supplier would be required to provide a Service Credit of 10% against the Total Services cost for that month. 3. If Datrix fails to respond to 11 calls (below 50% of the total incident calls) within the required Response Time, the Supplier would be required to provide a Service Credit of 50% against the Total Services cost for that month. (NB: with aggregate deductions which shall have a cap on any deductions at 20% of the annual service charges payable as outlined above). Please note that any 3rd party factors that affect the delivery of the service such as LAN and WAN services which are not part of our service delivery, would not form part of our incident management or contribute towards the Service Credits. Termination Terms The standard termination notice for the Datrix Cloud Service is 30 days. 15