Secure access, robust defense. Protecting private cloud services
about Parseq
"A frictionless case for investment leading to a strong implementation."
Regarded as one of the UK’s leading and most innovative multi-channel service providers, Parseq help enterprises achieve compliance, cost savings, and customer satisfaction through digitally advanced and reliable automation of their communications and payments.
Some of the UK’s largest banks, utilities companies and government agencies utilise Parseq’s services to help them acquire new customers, retain their market share and improve their operational efficiency.
Their customers include British Gas, Barclays and Bank of America, and on average they digitise over 25 million documents and process more than £15 billion electronic payments each year.
The Challenge
Parseq’s customers rely on them to hold, secure and provide instant, reliable access to a central repository of customer application documents.
This service, which at times can have over 10,000 concurrent connections, provides users with secure access to their data and the functionality to easily search, view, annotate, distribute and report on. It is therefore critical that the service is consistently available and secured to the highest standards.
In a bid to gain more control over their solution and improve operational efficiencies, Parseq embarked on a project to bring the platform in-house and migrate the service into their own, highly resilient data centre in Sheffield.
They engaged with Principle Networks to design and implement a new high-performance network fabric, with a multi-layered defence and server security solution to ensure a consistent and resilient infrastructure.
Driven by solutions.
- Meet contractual obligations and exceed customer expectations
- Bring platform inhouse to improve control, enhance resilience and drive efficiencies
- Strengthen server security with multiple layers of Next Generation Firewalling (NGFW’s)
Guided by process.
Network assessment
Principle Networks assessed current firewall configuration and the challenges raised by both the IT team and customer feedback to gain an understanding of what was, and wasn’t, working effectively.
Solution design
Parseq’s existing outsourced solution did not meet current or future business objectives. We took a different approach, designing a future-proofed solution that brought the server storage in-house and redesigned the architecture, introducing multiple layers of server security to operate a sensible and secure architecture to support Parseq’s solutions.
Implementation & Migration
We took ownership of replacing the existing external WAN, Internet and VPN connectivity solution. Providing an out of the box solution wouldn’t have ticked all the boxes, therefore we built a bespoke solution tailored perfectly to the needs of Parseq and their customers. Our team of experts implemented a secure Cisco Nexus solution, utilising a shared data centre fabric across the architecture. We introduced an additional layer of firewall security, in order to meet Parseq’s need to exceed strict PCI DSS regulations around the security of customer data.
Operational service
Parseq now have full control of their network and in-house security solution. With our co-managed proposition, they have the confidence of knowing they can adapt quickly, with a service that enables them to make changes backed by expert input from our team of 3rd line engineers. The online document repository is now fully secured and backed up with additional server security protocols.
Key results.
Improved resiliency of hosted web services has improved customer service with fewer performance issues to resolve
Parseq’s customers experience fewer performance issues when using the online document repository
The new solution resulted in an internal reduction of costs through minimising outsourced services
Due to the double-layered firewall approach, Parseq and their users are reassured by improved server security
Ability to exceed compliance with industry-set security standards
Working in true partnership, the level of clarity on the solution and the rationale behind the recommendation, including the comparison to the alternate options, gave immediate confidence forming the basis for a frictionless case for investment leading to a strong implementation.
Working in true partnership, the level of clarity on the solution and the rationale behind the recommendation, including the comparison to the alternate options, gave immediate confidence forming the basis for a frictionless case for investment leading to a strong implementation.
James Grindle, IT Director