Background:

Carter Dawes is an independent financial advisor who holds two Chartered status, awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute, the CII and the Chartered Institute of Bankers, the CIB. One is also a Fellow in Financial Planning. These qualifications denote the highest levels in the profession and represent a commitment to professionalism, continuous development, and ethical practice.

Overview

The Objective

This IT project focuses on transferring data from servers to SharePoint, enhancing data accessibility and collaboration. Additionally, it entails fortifying DNS security for insurance compliance. The project also includes upgrading internet connectivity at two sites, ensuring accelerated network performance. By implementing these measures, the project aims to boost operational efficiency, data protection, and communication capabilities across multiple locations.

The Solution & Approach

Physical infrastructure: Recovering a failing hypervisor from a previous IT firm which also had been crypto’d, we migrated the data away from the server and into SharePoint. As they’re a financial institute, we have also enabled a 3^rd party recovery tool which creates immutable backups for their compliance.

Network overhaul: Our team of engineers and registered electricians assessed the multi-site business for the network overhaul. We upgraded from old Cat5 to high-speed Cat6 cables, while also streamlining the project by replacing two slow ADSL lines with a single, efficient GPON line for improved connectivity and performance.

Cyber awareness: We delivered a dependable Security Operations Center to the client, equipped with scanning emails in real-time. This solution guaranteed GDPR and ISO 27001 compliance while automatically filtering out any malicious emails detected. Further training had been provided to the company in the form or 1-2-1’s and guides.

Results

Streamlined business: We improved data management, enhanced collaboration, and boosted productivity by a whopping 30%. SharePoint provided a centralized platform accessible from anywhere, facilitating remote work and improving team coordination.

Reduced costs & failure points: Through line reduction, we achieved substantial cost savings of over £240 per month for the client. Additionally, we addressed the inadequate configuration and security of the phone company-provided ADSL router, mitigating potential PCI compliance risks.

Cyber awareness: After receiving training, employees have heightened their vigilance against phishing attacks. In contrast to their experience with the previous IT company, where they faced repeated targeting, our services have resulted in a significant reduction to the point of non-existence. They now encounter no more than 1-3 fraudulent emails per month and have maintained a flawless breach record.