Hosted IT

Security

Hosted Software Listing

The Safest Route for your Computer System

The Hosted IT service brings together leading hardware, software, and Internet technologies. This combination provides our clients with the unique opportunity to leverage the infrastructures previously only available to the largest corporations.

Our engineers and Hosted IT developers have been working with thin client technology in business for over five years and we can now provide this technology to our clients.

What is Thin Client Technology?

'Thin' or 'Thin Client' technology has been around since the early 1990s. It allows large corporations to run all their software applications from a centrally managed data centre.

Employees connect over the company’s internal network, rather than having to install and upgrade all the software on every computer in the company.

Since 2003 extremely reliable and high speed Internet services have provided the opportunity for all businesses to take advantage of this technology.

Hosted IT provides and manages all your software and secures and protects your data centrally whilst you access it securely over the internet exactly as if you are working on your desktop PC.

How does the licensing work?

The way in which software and hardware is traditionally paid for and maintained is archaic. Spiky cash flows and unpredictable costs make managing and budgeting an unnecessary struggle.

The nature of IT is that it is dynamic and always improving. Our business is to maintain the latest versions of hardware and software centrally and provide it on-demand, as required. This frees our clients to focus on their business, not their IT, safe in the knowledge that they are backed by a multi-million pound infrastructure which they license only for what they use, when they use it.

What happens at the Data Centre?

The Hosted IT mainframe systems are housed in ultra-resilient data centres (Interhouse) which include multiple levels of 24/7 security, stable high-capacity power supplies, fire protection, environmental controls and 24 hour guard manned security. Additionally, all data is backed up to a 3rd party disaster recovery firm independent to Hosted IT.

The data centres have been engineered to avoid any single point of failure in connectivity, power, or HVAC and boast, VESDA smoke detection systems, State-of-the-art fire suppression system, CCTV throughout, 24 Hour video recording, sophisticated alarm systems, PAC security card access system, leak detection, UPS conditioned clean power, Diverse mains power supplies with diesel generator backup.

Confidentiality

It is the policy of Hosted IT to ensure that:

• All Hosted IT computer systems and information contained therein are protected against unauthorised access.
• The integrity of all Hosted IT computer systems, the confidentiality of any information contained therein is the responsibility of Hosted IT and each respective client.
• Hosted IT clients can access their data either through Hosted IT or through the secure storage of their data with a third party.
• All regulatory and legislative requirements regarding computer security and client confidentiality and integrity are met and exceeded by Hosted IT.

Data Centre

The Hosted IT server cluster is housed within a secure data centre provided by Redbus Interhouse. The Redbus Interhouse data centre provides Hosted IT with a 100% Service Level Agreement.

Communications

Communication between a client computer and the Hosted IT servers is undertaken using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). RDP uses RSA Security's RC4 cipher which is encrypted with a 56-bit key and is being upgraded to 128-bit.

Backup

A backup of Hosted IT data is undertaken on a daily basis by a third party company. These backups include all user data, shared corporate data, emails, databases and all other client data managed within Hosted IT. All data is stored offsite in a 128-bit encrypted format and transmitted at 128-bit encryption.

Virus and Spam

Hosted IT utilises three anti-virus applications running independently to provide multiple levels of protection and a 100% guarantee of zero infection from known virus threats.

• Protection to new outbreaks – the "Zero Hour"
• Protection from Denial of Service Attack (DOS) and Directory Harvest Attack (DHA)
• Protection of company reputation with outbound virus filters
• Over 98% spam blocked
• False positive rate better than 1 in 300,000

Legal requirements

Hosted IT adheres to all legislative and regulatory requirements with respect to the storage of client data and the protection of clients’ privacy. Hosted IT collects, stores and uses data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Hosted IT Security Policy. Hosted IT is registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner's Office (reg: Z9126331).

Hosted IT provides the entire Microsoft suite of applications on a per user per month basis. Hosted IT users do not need to buy licenses up front for Microsoft software - but simply license which applications they need, for the length of time they need them through Hosted IT. For example Hosted IT can provide MS Visio for a two month project.

Almost any Windows 32bit application can be provided over Hosted IT. For other software our clients must already have the following applications are provided (*= standard):

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We are always looking for software partners to be able to provide additional applications from a hosted platform. If you are interested in having your application hosted, please contact us.