IDE Group is a fast-moving company in a fast-moving industry. Find out all about our latest developments here.
For press enquiries, please contact our marketing manager, Antonella Ragona, on 0344 874 1100 ext. 742 or email press@idegroup.com
This is an unprecedented time for the country, with a lot of confusion, anxiety and uncertainty for many people and businesses, especially with the regular updates and changes in directive coming out from the Government every day. As a company, IDE Group is attempting to respond to our customers’ requirements, whilst remaining within the Government…
Following our communication last week we wanted to update you on the actions that IDE Group is taking in response to COVID-19 and reassure you that we are here to support your business 24/7. We have implemented our Disaster Recovery Plan and all is working smoothly. Furthermore, we would like to assure you that our…
We understand that your company relies upon IDE Group to provide a reliable, continuous service. In light of the unprecedented situation around the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), we would like to take this opportunity to explain the measures we are taking to ensure IDE Group’s ability to continue to provide your services without disruption. Our Business…
‘Plan for the Worst, and Work for the Best’* At IDE Group, we partner with you and support your business 24/7, 365 days a year. From on-site IT services, to remote access solutions we have successfully been supporting partners for over 20 years. Our job as your strategic technology partner is to design and implement…
Anna Guest, who leads IDE Group’s internal and external sales training within its specialist training division, iDevelop, has been announced as a judge for the 2018 British Excellence in Sales Management Awards (BESMA). Organised by the Institute of Sales Management, these are the sales industry’s top awards. They reward the efforts of individual sales professionals…
IDE Group has been an approved supplier within the UK Government’s G-Cloud Framework for several years. We’re delighted to say we’ve yet again been accepted onto the latest Framework, G-Cloud 10. This Framework allows us to deliver a suite of services to any government department or associated organisation seeking people and technology for digital projects…
Social media and their associated social usernames and passwords have become part of everyday life. While email is still the preferred tool for cybercriminals, social media has become more popular because when you create social media accounts, you open the details of your life to cybercriminals searching for personal information. Social media accounts continuously ask…
Transitioning from on-premise to cloud based infrastructures, or cloud delivered services, is a key component of the IT strategy for many businesses. We’ve recently focused investment on our own cloud offering to ensure we can offer customers the cloud services they need at a competitive price. We have made a significant investment in the latest…
We’re coming up for a month since GDPR came into force. Like us, you’re probably starting to get a feel for what it means for your relationship with customers and prospects. I wanted to share where we are with you. GDPR wasn’t an easy change to plan for. Critical passages within the regulation were written…
Unless the onslaught of GDPR emails has passed you by; you will be aware that privacy is undergoing a huge overhaul. Customers today are beginning to question the sacrifice of a tailored, personal experience, prompting companies to re-think their strategy in order to satisfy customer concerns. Furthermore, there’s an ever-growing body of legislation and regulation…
It is generally accepted that customer engagement is the key to driving sales, creating a meaningful connection, building relationships and establishing that all-important trust is an enormous part of that. The suggestion, then, of investing in technology to enhance engagement levels is likely to be met with scepticism. This of course stems from a deep-rooted,…
Cyber-security is not something an organisation can do half-heartedly. Looking for attacks in the wrong place or just a momentary lapse of attention can easily lead to a breach, with potentially terminal consequences. A Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platform, if configured and monitored correctly, can play a significant role in enabling security analysts…
It’s difficult enough to match the right cloud service to a given workload. An even greater potential challenge, and one that’s often not considered until too late, is how to manage and control a multiple cloud service environment once it’s in operation. We commissioned a research firm to survey IT managers at 100 UK mid-sized…
In the business world, data loss caused by a successful cyber-attack always sit in ‘very bad’ territory. Certainly, events of this kind have and will continue to have devastating consequences. Identifying and reacting to threats quickly could mean the difference between a successful or failed business. Why, then, do a mere 6% of organisations not…
Good employers give staff the devices that meet their needs and enable them to complete the tasks they’re responsible for. With each device representing a relatively large financial investment and employees relying on their device to be productive, consistent performance of devices is a must. With all that in mind, it surprises us still when…
Firstly, wow, there is a very rich ecosystem of companies providing cloud services. There was a lot of insight for the show’s many visitors to pick up throughout its two-days running time. IDE Group staff on our stand were kept very busy, with lots of interest from existing partners and customers, as well as prospects.…
Croydon, 19 March 2018: New research from IDE Group has discovered that 76% of companies are unable to control their cloud services and shape them to meet changing needs. Associated with that finding, relatively few companies (26%) feel able to conclude that their cloud strategy has been totally successful in achieving their targeted objectives. In…
I’m delighted to say we returned from last week’s Just IT Apprenticeship annual awards ceremony named the winner in three of its categories, including Apprentice of the Year, Employer of the Year and the Diversity award. Just IT is the provider of IT and digital apprenticeships we partnered with early last year to assist us…
Around once a year, on the magical Isle of Britain, enough snow falls so that one can actually notice it. Today is that day. If you’ve struggled to get into work, you have our sympathy. If you’re one of our customers, you’ll hopefully be gladdened to hear that none of our services have been impacted…
If you’re still not clear what GDPR means for your organisation and the steps you need to take before it comes into force on May 25th next year, the following summary of the GDPR compliance event we recently hosted may help guide you towards taking those first steps. Last week, in association with GDPR consultancy,…
The IDE Group change freeze will take place in two stages to minimise the impact to our customers during the Christmas period. From 00:00 15 December to 00:00 9 January extra governance will be applied to the change process. This means that during this window even standard (pre-authorised) changes will require additional scrutiny before being carried out.…
Given the rapid growth of public cloud services since they emerged a little over 10 years ago, is colocation still a relevant business solution? Continued rapid growth in our colocation services, especially in our South London data centre in central Croydon, with its proximity to the City of London, indicates the answer is a resounding…
A big talking point in security this week has been the National Audit Office (NAO) analysis of the WannaCry ransomware attack that hit the NHS in May. The NAO’s report indicate a general failure to act on critical alerts, as well as not enough attention being paid to basic security routines, such as patching software…
Just 4% of IT departments have staff dedicated to analysing IT security logs and only 6% have staff dedicated to acting on security reports Less than 20% have enough resource to scan all IT logs that might contain security information Only 13% can always report detected threats to someone capable of dealing with them…
Three months ago, I was at a cross-road in my life. Having just completed a Sport Science degree at university, I wasn’t sure I wanted to pursue a career in that sector and needed to evaluate my options. A career in IT had never been part of my original plan but after completing some online…
IDE Group is aware of a potential weakness in the security of Wi-Fi networks that was revealed in research published yesterday. Authors of the research claimed that a so-called KRACK attack could target vulnerabilities identified by them in the WPA2 security protocol. If successful, attackers would gain access to data passing between connected devices and…
Most businesses have very few critical objectives in relation to their end-user devices. The list probably amounts to maximise productivity, minimise risk and for total cost of ownership to be as low as possible. I want to explore whether Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies, in which employees use their own devices for work, can…
A couple of months ago I was asked to speak to several groups of students at a local girls’ secondary school about my experience and career in the IT sector. I was tasked to open their minds to the world of IT and the broader opportunities on offer. But most importantly, I needed to encourage…
After many months of planning, we have just launched IDE Group Protection Against Cyber Threats (PACT), our new cyber-security business unit. We’ve developed PACT in response to increasing customer awareness of threats and demand for comprehensive protection from a single service provider. I know that in-house IT teams can fatigue under the quantity of data…
IDE Group, the mid-market network, cloud and IT managed services provider, today announces the launch of Protection Against Cyber Threats (PACT), a new business unit focused on cyber-security. PACT has been created in response to increasing customer awareness of cyber-security threats and demand for comprehensive protection from a single service provider. IDE Group has already…
Protecting data, should be high on any list of business priorities, but is often considered only after losses have occurred. The truth is, planning for things that may not happen and repeating complicated but essentially mundane backup processes on the off-chance that they do is not very engaging for IT staff so can be overlooked.…
IDE Group has been an approved supplier within the UK Government’s G-Cloud Framework for some time. We’re delighted to confirm our status has been updated and we are a fully approved G-Cloud 9 supplier. This framework allows us to deliver a full suite of products and services to any government department or associated organisation seeking…
It can be a big step to move your IT infrastructure from the ‘safety’ of your main office into a data centre facility. While colocation services can save you both time and expenditure, there are some things that are important to consider when you’re selecting a facility. We’ve listed the ten most important considerations below.…
IDE Group today opened its new IT device lifecycle management facility in Dartford. The facility will meet the growing demand for provisioning, managing, redeploying and retiring PCs, laptops, mobile phones, tablets and other devices used in UK workplaces each year. The facility will service existing IDE Group customers, as well as new lifecycle contracts totalling…
IDE Group’s service desk was recently shortlisted for ‘Service Management Team of the Year’ in the ITSMF’s Professional Service Management Awards. Award Ceremony The award ceremony was on Wednesday night and a big contingent from the service desk attended. While we didn’t win our category, the award went to the National Grid’s support team, we…
I don’t need to go over the impact on multiple organisations of the recent ransomware attack, known as Wannacry. You can’t have missed it on the news. It wasn’t good. The cyber-security landscape is changing with the onset of advanced persistent threats (APT). These threats comprise multiple components, including malware and botnets. APTs can persist…
We were recently notified that IDE Group’s service desk has been shortlisted in the ‘Service Management Team of the Year’ category in the ITSMF’s Professional Service Management Awards 2017. We’re absolutely delighted to be shortlisted, as it recognises the hard work the team has put in to developing what we do. Our service desk is…
By now you’ll be aware that a significant ransomware outbreak started towards the end of last week. The exploit, known as WannaCrypt or WannaCry, affected many organisations around the world. Guidance and steps We’ve updated the systems we manage to protect our customers and will continue to proactively manage this and other security risks. As patches are distributed,…
The malware outbreak that is dominating headlines and affecting organisations across the world right now is a variation of common ransomware applications. This exploit is referred to as WannaCrypt or WannaCry. Nature of the malware Attacks Some of the attacks we are observing use common phishing tactics including malicious attachments in emails. Once the attachment…
Our acquisition of 365IT at the start of April 2017 has led to a very busy couple of weeks, and I wanted to write a few words about the rationale behind the acquisition, as well as setting out at a high level what happens next. IDE Group’s Goal IDE Group has a stated goal of…
We’re deep into the second day of Cloud Expo Europe, hosted within London’s huge ExCeL exhibition centre. We’re taking a little time out from the show to give you a flavour of what we’re focussing on. Message to the cloud expo visitors Our message to visitors – and the organisers expect to see 18,000 people through…
IDE Group Cloud Connect for Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute allows users to create private connections between the Microsoft Azure cloud and infrastructure on their own premises or in a colocation environment. ExpressRoute for Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute connections don’t go over the public internet, instead allowing users to extend their existing networks directly into the Microsoft cloud…
IDE Group was very pleased to welcome 14 candidates to its IDE Group apprentice assessment day on Wednesday. The session was very much about making sure candidates found out more about IDE Group, our culture and what an apprenticeship with us involves, as well as IDE Group staff assessing them for their suitability for the schemes.…
IDE Group has today announced the establishment of a new IT apprenticeship programme. Digital IT Apprenticeship standards IDE Group’s apprenticeship scheme will meet the Digital IT Apprenticeship standards set by the BCS, the UK’s Chartered Institute for IT. On 1 February, the company will welcome candidates to an assessment day at its Croydon head office,…
We are pleased to announce the appointments of Merlin Gillespie and Jenny Bratherton as Group Strategy Director and Director of Voice Services respectively. Merlin Since beginning his career at BT Group, Merlin has worked for a variety of organisations including Capita, Sky, Microsoft, Easynet and Claranet, both in-house and on a consultancy basis. His most…
We’re pleased to announce the completion of a significant step in our planned expansion of internationally recognised certifications, having recently achieved ISO 9001:2015, ISO 20000-1:2011, ISO 27001:2013 and PCI DSS accreditations. With so much choice in managed services, accreditations help customers navigate the market, removing uncertainty and providing confidence in their selected IT service provider.…
If you work in the public sector, you’ll know how careful you have to be over procurement. When selecting solutions to specific challenges, you need certainty on their ongoing quality and the value they will provide to citizens. It’s you that’s held accountable for how you’ve spent tax payer’s money. IDE Group is able to…
Thanks to the IDE Group sponsorship and the generosity of colleagues from around the business, I was able to return to the Sure24 orphanage in Nakuru, Kenya, this summer to spend two weeks supporting their invaluable work. Teaching I travelled with 21 other amazing individuals from the Flowing Rivers Foundation to organise the local ‘Youth Week’. We…
I’m really proud of the systems we’ve built at our Bournemouth data centre. And on one specific day in September this year, I could not have been prouder. Important Visitor The day started with an important visitor. It was audit day and I was showing the auditor around the facility. We have an excellent reputation…
In April of 2015, IDE Group was approached by one of our employees, Tolulope Obassa, who wanted our support with her charity group “Flowing Rivers” who were working in Nakuru, Kenya at the Sure24 Orphanage. IDE Group donated stationary, laptops and mobile phones to Flowing Rivers charity and assisted in fundraising to enable Tolulupe to…
What sets IDE Group apart from a number of our competitors is our belief in providing quality services to our Customers in a secure environment whilst minimising our impact on the environment. Though easy to say, we prove this commitment through our ever expanding certification to internationally recognised standards. ISO certification We have recently passed…
How fantastic is it to see that the UK’s fastest growing digital economy, Bournemouth, hasn’t slowed down since its recent time in the spotlight? Our tech hub is truly walking the walk as we hear about yet another fantastic scheme to attract even more businesses to our South Coast digital city. ‘First Bourne’ This time,…
As a country, we like to think we are reasonably modern in terms of access to technology and connectivity. But let’s not forget it was only a few months ago that headlines were splashed with revelations that a creative firm in London’s Tech City, (the new, world-leading tech cluster), admitted it was quicker to courier…
Whilst IDE Group customers and partners are familiar with our expertise in the provision, maintenance and support of Cloud and other IT Infrastructure services, many are not aware that we are also an approved supplier within the Governments G-Cloud 7 Framework. The G-Cloud 7 Framework This framework allows us to deliver a full suite of…
Castle Street Investments is building a new management team, led by the CEO Andy Ross and CFO Julian Phipps which Matt Hawkins and Simon Mewett will now be joining as CTO and COO respectively. We are also very pleased to announce that C4L’s Senior Leadership Team will all remain, continuing in their current roles and…
As the Head of Marketing for an Internet Service Provider in Britain, I wanted to offer my thoughts on the UK’s connectivity specifically for business users, reflecting on the points he made and how to make the connectivity landscape an even playing ground. BBC report The BBC report was based on research from a cross-party…
Their analysis has uncovered that 1 in every 5 jobs within our Bournemouth & Poole ‘tech cluster’ are in the Digital sector, now totalling 14,000 jobs and bringing in more than £350m to Bournemouth’s economy it has become a very valuable sector to the South Coast indeed. Tech Nation Report Tech Nation 2016 is produced…
As an Internet Service Provider it is a professional responsibility of C4L’s to ensure that the traffic we are transporting is protected, but there is also a moral responsibility to do all we can to ensure that those using the internet, are safe in doing so too. It was fantastic to see that the Cherries…
C4L are extremely proud to have been shortlisted as a finalist for the ‘Network Project of the Year’ award. This shortlisting recognises our work expanding our South Coast fibre network footprint, installing high capacity connectivity from our Bournemouth Data Centre directly to the newly constructed Hilton hotels located in the town centre. Network Computing awards…
Colocation ≠ Costs + Location The first misconception that has grown up is that colocation is a costly alternative. This is not the case, colocation provides organisations with access to capabilities that would be too expensive and/or impractical to implement in-house: capabilities such as high-speed network connections, replication of IT infrastructure, backup, increased physical…
The solution allows customers of Volta to be able to take advantage of Amazon Web Services directly from their IT infrastructure by using C4L’s private fibre network between Volta and AWS. This results in higher performance and greater security as AWS traffic routes directly rather than traversing a public Internet circuit, furthermore, bandwidth charges from…
Drawing on research by Gartner, Pete discusses how traditional buying cycles and sales models are fading in favour of a far more collaborative approach. Sales Driven? Whether we like it or not, every professional is in sales to some extent, customer support, product management, internal communications, PR and so on all draw on aspects of…
Innovate UK Grants Innovate UK, a government agency who work with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive technology innovations capable of growing the UK economy, will have its funding maintained in cash terms. After creating nearly 35,000 extra new jobs in the UK and adding £7.5billion to the UK economy since helping…
C4L is extremely proud to be involved with this event by providing the high performance connectivity required to enable seamless production and live social media interaction. Organised by Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and hosted by broadcaster and journalist Jonty Bloom, the evening promises both excitement and glamour to celebrate professional excellence in…
According to the CfE, the city’s seaside-specific working culture is a crucial ingredient in enticing talent, and C4L are proud to be a big part of one of Britain’s fastest-growing tech hub. Britain’s digital industry In early February 2015, at the launch of Tech Nation’s report which was attended by both Prime Minister David Cameron…
C4L are providing a 1Gb fibre Leased Line to the Hilton Hotel with an extra wireless back up, direct from their Bournemouth Data centre. With this infrastructure as well as IP Transit direct from C4L, the customers at the Hilton will enjoy internet speeds of up to 100 times as fast as a traditional connection.…
Data is becoming more and more important to organisations of all sizes, in every sector, as a result the need for storage is increasing by the day. But, as the cost of on-premise storage solutions continue to increase with as you add more capacity, many UK businesses are considering colocation as a cost-effective and reliable…
The event is a celebration of visual effects, animation and computer games and will appeal to professionals, students and anyone with an interest in films, VFX and animation. This year’s festival will feature presentations by the world’s leading studios, including Pixar, Disney, Industrial Light and Magic and DreamWorks Animation. It will also showcase the work…
This offers further evidence that many businesses are now willing to take a more ‘hands off’ approach in order to take advantage of the latest technologies. While undoubtedly a tough decision to make, outsourcing often provides SMEs with access to solutions that they would not otherwise be able to afford, giving them greater flexibility and…
This blog will take a look at understanding the difference between data centres and colocation. Many people use these two terms interchangeably, but they do have somewhat different meanings which it is helpful to understand. A data centre is a physical building with power infrastructure, cooling resources and security measures which is designed to house IT equipment. A…
Data centre migration is often regarded as a purely technical, almost trivial side-project to be delivered by existing IT staff alongside their day jobs. With core business services reliant on IT, a data migration can expose the business to significant risk. It is therefore essential to plan, manage and execute a data centre migration with…
Call 0344 874 1000 or email enquiries@idegroup.com to discuss your managed IT requirements with a member of our team. We’re always happy to answer any questions.
