Keeping public sector data secure
Partner relationships have always been at the very heart of SCC’s business
Sentinel is the fully certified OFFICIAL/OFFICIAL SENSITIVE Cloud platform, from SCC. It was designed to government security standards and supports end-user public sector customers across the broad spectrum of UK government; Defence, Civil and Local Government, Health and Criminal Justice.
All of the services within Sentinel are supported by appropriate governance, processes and qualified UK resident staff and resources. It provides security assurance mitigating against cyber risks and vulnerabilities in an ever-changing and accelerating digital world.
Sentinel is the UK’s longest established multi tenanted cloud solution. It was the first pan government accredited cloud service in 2012 which is now replaced with PSN accreditation in 2021. This is yearly reviewed and renewed with the PSN. For 40 years, SCC has been the trusted IT partner for the UK’s critical national infrastructure.
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Testimonials
Without their own secure hosting facility, Blackthorn turned to SCC’s pre-accredited OFFICIAL hosting environment to meet the Home Office’s security requirements. SCC’s ability to offer service management including the database layer and meet the challenging timescales was also a key element.
Sentinel by SCC provides infrastructure as a service, database as a service, email as a service and remote access services, supported by service desk to service desk. The environment is connected over the PSN network and provides a TWIF (Two-Way Digital Interface) with the Crown Prosecution Service.
They were compelled to procure an external service provider through a recognised procurement route (G-Cloud). Sentinel by SCC was chosen for its ability to build the CAA tenancy and migrate existing users within the required timeframe.
This was achieved by providing pre-accredited PGA commoditised IL3 services and delivering a secure back office incorporating hosted office and email across dedicated, encrypted VPN as well as secure remote access for mobile workers
This was originally to be hosted on-site, but tight timescales meant that a quicker route for delivering the solution was required. Sentinel by SCC was chosen to host the solution, providing pre-accredited OFFICIAL infrastructure as a service, remote access service and database as a service, with PSN connectivity.
SCC were also able to support Q-Nomy with the initial project by providing service desk to service desk support and assisting with the overall solution accreditation. SCC met the customer’s timescales and now provide a seamless service between us, the application provider (Q-Nomy) and HM Passport Office.
They also needed on-boarding services and information assurance support to deliver a seamless end-to-end solution for their customer.
They required a partner, not just a hosting provider, and Sentinel by SCC was able to fulfil this need, delivering managed infrastructure as a service up to, and including, Database as a Service (DBaaS) as well as remote access for support.
In 2015 Oxford City Council came out to OJEU tender, looking for a new partner to host their infrastructure requirements. They owned none of the physical estate that they had been using, meaning that they required a complex data and service migration from their legacy equipment to a secure and scalable cloud service.
Through a competitive tendering process, Oxford City Council chose SCC and the Sentinel by SCC platform to deliver all aspects of their infrastructure requirement. Oxford City have signed a multi-million pound contract with SCC spanning 5 years with an option to extend for a further 5 years.
SCC is delivering a secure platform for a range of current and future digital services provided by the Highways England, an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport, ensuring data security to OFFICIAL / OFFICIAL SENSITIVE (IL2 / IL3) standards. “One of our key capabilities is delivering end-to-end services that facilitate business change,” said SCC Chief Executive James Rigby.
“Having developed an innovative FICT Service Tower environment, Highways England needed a trusted partner who could provide a cost-effective solution. SCC is delighted to be the Cloud services supplier of choice for the FICT HOS project and we look forward to enabling the Highways England to continue driving forward its IT strategy.”
As the most established provider of Pan-Government accredited secure OFFICIAL / OFFICIAL SENSITIVE (IL2 / IL3) Cloud services in the UK, the agreement sees SCC migrate approximately 300 Highways England servers into its Sentinel by SCC Cloud environment and host the Agency’s back office infrastructure, supporting almost 4,000 users.
Why Sentinel?
Security
Security and protecting your data is at the heart of what we do. Our services are compliant with the Public Sector Network (PSN) and certified to OFFICIAL/ OFFICIAL SENSITIVE level. Sentinel by SCC also provides further security by adhering to the five technical controls recommended by the Governments Cyber Essentials Plus Scheme. Sentinel by SCC is certified to ISO 27001:2013, this framework enables us to manage and protect our client’s data and assets so they remain safe and secure.
Credibility
In 2012 Sentinel by SCC became the first Pan-Government certified secure cloud IT services provider, amongst others, our clients include the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice, The Home Office, HM Passport office, NHS England and the Civil Aviation Authority. SCC is the largest independent IT services provider in Europe and we are proud to have been helping businesses survive and thrive in an ever changing digital world since 1975.
Sovereignty
Sentinel by SCC’s services are all managed and maintained within our award winning UK data centres with all of our Sentinel staff being UK based and SC cleared.
Faster Contract Mobilisation
Sentinel by SCC allows you to move to and utilise straight ‘out of the box’ UK Government certified Cloud services, circumventing resource and capital intensive pre ‘go-live’ activities our services can dramatically reduce your procurement and deployment times with up to 50% reduction in your contract mobilisation. Services can be contracted, ordered and set-up in hours or days rather than months.
Capability
As the longest established, secure, multi-tenanted cloud service provider within the G-cloud framework, SCC has developed a wealth of experience. Our OFFICIAL OFFICIAL/SENSITIVE managed services include; Exchange as a Service (plus archiving), Database as a Service, Managed & hosted desktop services, RAS, MDM, Managed Print Service and Infrastructure as a Service. Our services are connected to official UK Government networks including, PSN, POISE, PNN, HSCN and we also have an Encrypted VPN service to run over the various connection methods, as well as Internet.
Cost Effective Services Model
Our services are based on a forecastable operational expenditure model which allows you to flex your services both up and down. No heavy up front Capex simple ‘pay as your grow/shrink’ charges, pay only for what you use.
Service and Support
Sentinel by SCC’s services are underpinned by strict Service level agreements and are managed 24x7x365. Your services will be supported by a Service Delivery Manager who will be your main points of contact for the Sentinel service delivery.
SENTINEL BROCHURE
Sentinel Brochure
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