Our relationship with Steps to Work was forged back in 1996 when one of our Directors installed cabling infrastructure to the building. As time went by, we started to manage their telephony communications, but there was still more we could offer. And as Steps To Work began to tender for bigger contracts, they started to outgrow their smaller providers that often made them feel like the middle man when problems arose.
James Walsh, Steps to Work CEO said, “slow reaction times, resistance to change in line with commissioner specs on security, as well as cost meant we had to look for an alternative solution.” They decided that for business continuity, they would source one provider that could do it all and do it well. But because of the amount of personal data they deal with daily, they needed a provider that offered robust security solutions that worked.
After a comprehensive procurement process involving due diligence, James, Crystina and the team chose Pure Cloud Solutions as their managed service provider because we listened and reacted well to their needs.
Addressing the Key Focus
Since then, we have provided Steps to Work with everything from cabling and telephony to print and IT. But one of the key areas we have put a lot of time in to is developing a bespoke security offering that works for them.
A lot of the time, this is determined by the contracts they win. This requires strategic implementation to ensure compliance against stringent security regulations. Without this, Steps to Work would not be able to operate or win vital contracts. Here’s some of the ways we have supported Steps to Work with their security measures …
External Protection & Infrastructure
We introduced Cisco Umbrella which offers external, cloud -based protection. It scans the internet for malicious destinations & blocks them before a connection to the network is ever established. It also stops connections if any of your devices are already infected in other ways. And because it learns from anomalies, it builds a portfolio of malicious domains, malware, files & URL’s & stops attacks reaching their network.
To add further layers of protection, we placed Steps to Work on a private Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network. This works by utilising a single internet gateway & a robust firewall. In doing this, traffic between sites can’t traverse the internet can be easily monitored to recognise suspicious activity & prevent malicious attacks.
Remote Working & Best of Breed Software
After listening to the way Steps to Work operate, we recognised they could benefit from remote working. To ensure security, we provided them with remote Meraki Z1’s to implement. These have end-to-end encrypted VPN tunnels that allow you to work off the secure network, wherever you are. Steps to work manage these centrally via zero-touch deployment which is quick, simple & most importantly – secure.
Another layer of security protection we’ve installed is industry-leading Sophos software via end point protection. This protects all devices with anti-virus & firewalls from one simplified management console. We have done this both on premise and in the cloud to maximise threat detection & removal. It even isolates infected devices to avoid attacks spreading & saves them time troubleshooting.
Secure Printing & Staff Training
Even with security steps in place, you can still be compromised if your staff aren’t vigilant & aware of potential threats. To avoid this, we introduced Steps to Work to Cybsafe. This is online training that covers the fundamentals of business security. It tests staff regularly so they can recognise features of security attacks & how to avoid getting caught out. This has helped reduce the human element of their security breaches which can cost serious money!
“A lot of our recent contract wins have been dependent on how robust our security is. We wouldn’t have won these if it wasn’t for the support & guidance we received from the PCS team. “
Cisco Umbrella Free Trial
The future looks bright for Step’s To Work! And as they continue to grow, we will be working hard to keep them safe and sound, all year round! If you would like to learn more about how we can support you and your business to stay secure, get in touch today or book your free audit with one of our team. For a free trial of the world leading security software, Cisco Umbrella click link below.
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