Business Continuity Service

Reasons why Business Continuity is becoming the must have service from Concise IT.

A recent survey by Aveco revealed the frightening statistic that 43% of organisations who experience a flood or fire will never reopen, and of the remainder 80% will fail within 13 months of the event.

Statutory regulations, such as those governing companies regulated by the FSA are now starting to place demands on businesses to ensure that they can continue to function and meet regulatory obligations in the event of an unforeseen interruption.

Traditionally Disaster Recovery (DR) has been the start and finish of organisational strategy for dealing with an unplanned event. This would ensure that IT systems and data can be restored after unscheduled downtime.

But over the last few years the growth of Business Continuity has meant a shift in focus to the prevention of such events, rather than the cure of DR.

Business Continuity Management (BCM) covers the whole lifecycle of disaster prevention and recovery. It embraces the entire organisation and provides a planned and controlled method of anticipating and responding to events that are likely to interrupt key business activities.

To cater for the huge demands for a Business Continuity Service, Concise IT has invested in a dedicated 12-seat Business Continuity Suite for small to medium sized companies, that also compliments our Disaster Recovery (DR) Service.

The Business Continuity Suite is based at our new offices at Gadbrook Park, Northwich, which has great links to the A556 and M6, just 10 minutes from Chester and 20 minutes from Manchester and Liverpool.

Call Aiden Wilkinson or Leigh Lockwood for further information on the Business Continuity Service on 0800 083 3160.

Free VMware Seminars in 2008

VMware Seminars 2008 (Free of Charge)

A series of short, free-of-charge Virtualisation briefings have been developed in partnership with VMware and HP to show you the benefits of server consolidation and containment.

By attending you will gain a detailed understanding of VMware Virtual Infrastructure 3 (VI3).
You will also be introduced to HP solutions that, coupled with VMware, will help reduce your infrastructure, power and cooling costs, therefore lowering your carbon footprint.
Book online for one of the following dates in 2008:

Friday 15th February (FULLY BOOKED)
Friday 14th March (FULLY BOOKED)
Friday 18th April (FULLY BOOKED)
Friday 16th May (FULLY BOOKED)
Friday 13th June (FULLY BOOKED)
Friday 19th September
Friday 17th October
Friday 14th November
Friday 12th December

If you cannot make one of these dates, but would like more information and an onsite briefing, please call Leigh Lockwood on freephone 0800 083 3160.

Agenda

9.00 Breakfast, Registration & Welcome
9.30 Introduction to VMware VI3
10.00 VMware VI3 Demonstration / Consolidation & Containment
10.30 HP and VMware; Storage and infrastructure Virtualisation
10.50 Questions & Answers
11.00 Finish

Book online

Concise IT Expansion Reaps Rewards

Concise IT is booming with success after moving to new premises at Gadbrook Park in Cheshire.

We are celebrating doubling our turnover in two years having seen a 50 per cent growth this financial year since moving to a new 4,500 sq ft office at Royal Court.

Apart from Network design, support, and implementation, Concise IT has proven expertise in more specialist areas such as Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity, Capacity Planning and Virtualisation.

Managing Director David Southern puts the current boom down to the combination of the quality of service that Concise IT provides, and its relocation to the new office.

“We are very proud of what we offer to companies in the local business community and across the UK. We are seen as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ by our clients because we have invested in a dedicated Business Continuity Suite and state-of-the-art seminar room where we regularly hold live demonstrations of the latest business critical technologies from VMware, Microsoft, Cisco, Sophos and HP.

“Now we are supporting and monitoring hundreds of business networks nationwide, with any potential problem being instantly notified, enabling us to alert the client and ensure that system ‘downtime’ is a thing of the past.

“Successful businesses are increasingly reliant on networks and the internet, for one client, every hour a server is down can cost them £60,000, so it is crucial their network is operating 24/7.”

He added: “We believe in ‘Best Practice’, and from experience know that it is better to invest in quality, be it software or hardware, as it is proven to the field to be more stable and secure. That ethos extends throughout our organisation, to the quality of people and premises. The impact our move has had on our business proves the point.”

VMware Virtual Infrastructure Breakfast Briefing

VMware Virtual Infrastructure Breakfast Briefing


Outline

A series of short, free-of-charge Virtualisation briefings have been developed in partnership with VMware and HP to show you the benefits of server consolidation and containment.

By attending you will gain a detailed understanding of VMware Virtual Infrastructure 3 (VI3).
You will also be introduced to HP solutions that, coupled with VMware, will help reduce your infrastructure, power and cooling costs, therefore lowering your carbon footprint.


Choose from one of the following dates in 2008 Click to book your place now:

October 17th
November 21st
December 12th

Attendees will receive a £500 certificate that can be used againstour Capacity Planning Service (1 per company).

If you cannot make one of these dates, but would like more information and onsite briefing, please call Andrew Flavell on Freephone 0800 0833160



Agenda
09.00 Breakfast, Registration & Welcome
09.30 Introduction to VMware VI3
10.15 VMware VI3 Demonstration / Consolidation & Containment
10:45 HP and VMware; Storage & Infrastructure Virtualisation
11.15 Questions & Answers
11:30 Finish

RSVP
Briefings are delivered in small groups, so dates will be filled quickly.
Therefore we urge you to call ASAP to reserve your free place and avoid disappointment.


Contact Andrew Flavell (VMware Sales Professional)
Freephone: 0800 083 3160
Register online: www.conciseit.co.uk/seminars

Concise IT are on the Move to Gadbrook Park, Northwich

I am delighted to announce Concise IT are expanding to a new state-of-the-art building at the end of September ‘07.

Although we are only moving 4 miles from our current offices, the new premises will allow us to be a centre of excellence for our clients, with a dedicated Evaluation Suite featuring the very best products from Microsoft, HP, Cisco, Sony, Sophos and VMware.

It will also allow us to demonstrate cutting edge Technologies such as Virtualisation, VoIP, EVA and SAN Storage Solutions.

In addition we have added a Business Continuity Suite to compliment our already comprehensive Disaster Recovery Service. (This will allow your key employees to have a fully furnished office to work from, following a Disaster).

As from Monday 1st October 2007 to the following new contact details for Concise IT will be:

No. 2 Royal Court
Gadbrook Park
Northwich
Cheshire
CW9 7UT

New Main Telephone Number: (01606) 336 200

New Sales Telephone Number: (01606) 336 236

New Fax Number: (01606) 336 209

Website and e-mail addresses will remain the same.

Total Network Support Plus just got even better!

Total Network Support Plus just got even better

We are delighted to announce that your TNS+ service is about to get even better…(and it won't cost you a penny extra!)

As you know, Concise IT are passionate about delivering the very best customer service. For the past year we have been working hard to ensure that we raise the bar further for our TNS+ clients.

As from 1st July 2007 we are improving TNS+ by adding the following value added benefits:

• Extended Cover (now 8.00am to 6.00pm) for TNS+ only
• Enhanced Priority Response Service Level Agreement (SLA)
• Support for Windows Based Mobiles and PDA's installed by CIT
• Incident cover for Virus & Spyware Infections
• Monthly Incident Reports*
• Quarterly Performance and Network Health Report and Review*
• Preferential Pricing for Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Services
  * These services commence on the 1st September 2007.
  

Upon your next renewal of TNS+ we will also improve the way that your network maintenance is scheduled in order to improve security and offer more service but with less disruption to your staff.

Monthly system updates will mean that we test and apply critical patches and updates more frequently. These are applied remotely. This will enhance security but with no disruption to your business. A report outlining all of the changes will be provided every month.

This will be further complemented by 2 x 6 monthly enhanced pre-emptive visits in order to make sure that your systems run at their optimum performance (rather than 4 standard visits).

The aim is to create less disruption to your business, reduce our carbon footprint, increase the uptime of your servers, and at the same time improve the standard and effectiveness of the service.

Visit our Total Network Support webpage for more information.

Virtualisation - The Benefits

Q. What is virtualisation?

A. Virtualisation is the pooling and sharing of IT resources, including servers, storage and networking.

In a virtualised environment, the logical functions of computing, storage and network elements are separated from their physical functions.

Elements from these pools can then be manually or automatically allocated to meet the changing needs and priorities of a business. These concepts can be applied broadly across the enterprise, from data centre resources to PCs and printers.

It enables people, processes and technology to work together more efficiently to meet increased service levels. Since capacity can be allocated dynamically, over-provisioning is eliminated and your entire IT infrastructure is simplified.

Example

“Some Application Servers typically run at a mere 5-15% CPU utilisation. Transforming physical Servers into Virtual Servers and consolidating them would see an increase in utilisation by up to 80%, whilst significantly reducing running costs.”

Benefits

Virtualisation delivers quantifiable savings in both capital and operating costs by:

Increasing hardware utilisation and reducing hardware spend
Lowering your infrastructure costs
Reducing your physical and carbon footprint
Decreasing staff costs

Free Virtualisation Review and Report

To help businesses understand the implications and opportunities of a virtualised IT infrastructure, Concise IT are offering 10 leading companies a complimentary consultancy review & bespoke report from our qualified VMware expert, Robert Burrell.

The package is worth over £1500 (but at no cost to you).

Some of the areas covered in the Virtualisation report are:

· Increasing hardware utilisation and reducing hardware spend
· Lowering network infrastructure costs
· Reducing your physical and carbon footprint
· Decreasing staff costs by simplifying and automating operations
· Gaining maximum uptime with more reliable, easier to deploy DR solutions

To find out more or to confirm this unique opportunity please call Andrew on: 0800 083 3160 before 31st December 2008. Alternatively visit our Network Solutions Virtualisation page

Think Big - Go Thin!

Thin Client Technology.

As a replacement to the desktop PC, Thin Client has long been recognised for it’s ease of management, reliability and low cost of ownership.

But did you know that Thin Client can also dramatically reduce downtime and improve data security?

The Benefits of Thin Client

· 25% cost saving compared to Desktop PC’s
· Easy remote management of applications and files
· 34% less maintenance cost
· Rapid deployment and ‘hot swap’
· No moving parts means greater reliability and reduction in downtime
· Highly secure – works only with a host (meaning less hardware theft)
· Space saving design gives you more of your desk back!
· Uses less power (23% less cost) - reducing your carbon footprint

Source: Zona Research, Intelliquest, Meta Group Study


With Thin Clients, software and data are stored and run centrally, depriving viruses of their usual access to your system.

For even more security, options such as Smart Card Readers or Biometrics provide an extra, more sophisticated level of user authenticity the HP Compaq T5000 Series enjoys a long life cycle.

All components meet industry standards and there are no moving parts. Not even a ventilator. Which means fewer maintenance events and less down time.

Special Offers on HP T5720 Thin Clients (ex VAT) for orders on or before 31st July 2007.

EG839AT - £249. Plus get a 19" HP 1906 TFT for just £25 (saving £100)
EG840AT - £269. Plus get a 19" HP 1906 TFT for just £25 (saving £100)
RA315AT - £289. Plus get a 19" HP 1906 TFT for just £25 (saving £100)

Order more than 10 units and get FREE Delivery anywhere in the UK.

Call Jane, Paul or David on Freephone 0800 083 3160 for specifications, advice and quotes. Alternatively visit our Thin Client webpage.

All-in-One (AiO) Storage Solutions

Unbelievably simple. Uniquely affordable. Unquestionably reliable.

That's what they have been saying about HP StorageWorks All-in-One (AiO) storage systems.

But what is AiO and what are the benefits?

Specialised storage systems like SAN and NAS require specialised and in-depth knowledge to design and implement. The All-in-One storage solution from HP gets round this problem by offering a fully integrated system that is designed to be managed by IT generalists who have no storage expertise.

AiO provides a simple, integrated and affordable network storage solution that enables organisations to easily manage, grow and protect their data without requiring them to become storage experts. With its easy-to-use interface (ASM) it takes care of all underlying storage tasks and presents network storage in application-centric terms, giving administrators new found levels of control.

Find out about the benefits of AiO - click here.

As a HP Preferred partner, Concise IT can provide a HP StorageWorks system on a 'Buy & Try' basis which allows you to test a StorageWorks system for 90 days at no risk whatsoever. Call our AiO customer care team on 0800 083 3160 to find out more or arrange this. Alternatively complete our online enquiry form.

All-in-One Storage Solutions

The All-in-One Solution to your Storage Problems

Data Storage and Archiving. Businesses today are required to keep more data now than ever before.
The result is that storage has become a major concern for growing companies such as yours.

HP’s All-in-One Storage Solution (AiO) has been developed with this problem in mind.

AiO enables organisations to easily manage, grow and protect their data without requiring them to become storage experts.

The Benefits of AiO

It’s Simple. Lowers the cost and complexity of network storage, eliminates the pain of data migration and provides integrated data protection.

It’s Reliable. Eliminates Backup windows and protects data with snapshots, backup replication and redundancy options built on HP reliability.

It’s Affordable. Efficient, with a lower total cost of ownership, AiO is a cost effective solution for growing environments and ensures long-term investment protection.

See for yourself
As a HP Preferred partner, we have a dedicated AiO evaluation for you to try. Join us for lunch and a one-to-one evaluation to see the system in action. A storage expert will be on hand to answer your questions.

90 Day No-risk Trial
We also provide an AiO on a 'Buy & Try' basis that allows you to test the system for 90 days at no risk whatsoever.

Freephone our AiO team on 0800 083 3160 for more information or to arrange an evaluation. Alternatively visit our All-in-One Storage Solution (AiO) webpage for more information and enquiry form.

Concise Changes

Concise IT are currently going through many changes.

This blog should help you keep up to date with everything happening at the headquarters just to make sure you don't miss anything!

Aiden Wilkinson
Marketing & Communications Manager

Blog Launch!

Concise IT is proud to launch their very own blog. The blog is intended to be a slightly more informal medium for Concise IT to communicate through, providing you with news & happenings, stories and articles you might find interesting, websites of note, commentary and insight and a lot more besides.

There is a great deal happening at Concise IT - which we will announce in the very near future, so watch this space!

We are excited to be taking this step forward and to hearing your thoughts about what we have to say in this space. We encourage your participation!

You will usually be able to comment on posts appearing here and there is an RSS feed available for your convenience.

Click here to visit Concise IT's website.