Background
As a pioneer in mobile satellite communications, SecureCloud+’s client was contracted by the UK Government to provide system engineering and programme management support for a major UK satellite programme.
As part of the delivery, the Company’s client required a communications system that enabled industry partners to collaborate with UK Government agencies and a suite of COTS (Commercial off the shelf) applications at OFFICIAL - SENSITIVE. The system was required to accommodate exponential growth of data, tools and users while maintaining a secure and scalable service.
Challenge
UK Government, UK Space Agency and Industry partners needed to collaborate on files, share information and communicate from remote locations using a secure Internet connection. The data was required to be held in an accredited, managed hosting environment so that fixed and remote users could use a suite of IT tools to collaborate at OFFICIAL - SENSITIVE.
Requirements
- A hosting environment to meet the baseline security requirements that enable OFFICIAL - SENSITIVE material to be produced and stored
- Two - factor authentication security
- Monitored access to document libraries
- Fully managed devices in geographically dispersed locations
- Ability to support at least 6 concurrent sessions
- Restricted data download from both IL2 and IL3 environments
- Virtual machines to enable specific applications for contract users
- Access to MS Office applications
- An end-to-end fully managed service
- Scale-able to meet changing needs, and elastic to match user functionality and profile
Approach
The SecureCloud+ managed service enabled new, bespoke and legacy applications to be hosted in a secure OFFICIAL SENSITIVE environment. This allowed users the ability to conduct analysis, design and communicate outputs through shared office automation tools, with project, engineering and system operators. Two-Factor Authentication was used to allow access from trusted internet connected devices.
- Collaborate and share knowledge efficiently
- Increased productivity of disparate project team members
- An agile and scalable service that adapts to the needs of the users whilst delivering value for money
- Users outside the UK Space Agency could access the secure hosted environment from their own registered devices at work or at home
- The service is accredited at OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE
- Users can create and store documents up to OFFICIAL SENSITIVE using their own devices
- Improved efficiencies due to reduced travel and planning
The end-to-end secure managed service from SecureCloud+ provided a communication and collaboration environment to the UK Space Agency personnel and community, allowing the creation and sharing of secure content.
The Application Hosting Environment (AHE) service provided a fully accredited and managed environment, which enabled access to trusted applications from secure networks. The AHE service allowed users to access applications via legacy and future systems from fixed, deployed or mobile locations using a single sign on.
SecureCloud+ have a record of delivering innovative secure end-to-end managed services where quality is integral, the service is fit for purpose and represents value for money.