HP security accreditation for SMEs in public sector supply chain
HP Enterprise Services UK has announced it is enabling more than 600 small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to demonstrate their ability to protect their IT systems from cyber threats with the new affordable IASME (Information Assurance for SMEs) security standard. Developed by the Malvern-based IASME Consortium and piloted with the help of West Midlands SMEs, the IASME standard helps SMEs compete for public sector contracts by offering a cost-effective route to compliance with ISO/IEC 27001:2013, the complexity of which can be prohibitive for smaller suppliers. "HP Enterprise Services is one of the UK government's largest suppliers of IT systems, with a supply chain that includes more than 600 SMEs, and we need to make it easier for them to attain security accreditation," said Stuart Bladen, vice president and general manager, UK Public Sector, HP. "As well as ensuring that the IASME standard can be readily implemented in our supply chain, this agreement opens up a market valued at up to £250,000 to the IASME Consortium which will ripple through to a variety of other Worcestershire-based SMEs." Available either through self-assessment or assessment by an independent auditor, the IASME standard and its implementation process include certification against the UK government's Cyber Essentials scheme and automatic cyber liability insurance for UK companies who have less than £20m turnover.
Pictured: IASME Consortium logo
HP UK: www.hp.com/uk/makeitmatter
IASME Consortium: www.iasme.co.uk
Cloud-based Expenses claims for 3,000 Northumberland employees
Northumberland County Council has introduced Expenses' cloud service from Software Europe, the company has announced. The service replaces use of an expenses module within the council's back-office IT system. All of Northumberland's 3,000 HQ and remote office staff, plus a small number of firefighters and former NHS staff, can now access the service. It currently handles 1,500 claims each month - approximately 80 per cent are mileage related. By the summer of 2014, the service will be rolled-out to schools' employees - an additional 4,500 employees. Derek Brown, Transactions Manager, Northumberland County Council says: "Our previous system did not link with our corporate policy leaving it open to interpretation. For example, for staff travelling from home to multiple remote sites and back to their usual place of work, removing the mileage between home and the usual place of work, from their claim, was confusing and difficult. It would lead to errors and over-claiming... The new system calculates this automatically, creating more accurate claims and lowering our costs." The service also enhances the council's expenses governance powers. Managers now have much greater visibility of submitted claims, viewing specific claims and scanned copies of receipts.
Software Europe: www.software-europe.com
Polycom offers "Video as a Service" through Imago Group
Video, voice and content solutions provider Polycom has announced the UK launch of RealPresence Cloud Video as a Service (VaaS) in partnership with specialist distributor, Imago Group plc. RealPresence Cloud Video Meeting Services is flexible, scalable and provides the same security and interoperability that all Polycom RealPresence Platform solutions deliver, the company says. Through the partnership with Imago and its VaaS-t service, Polycom is able to offer a set of always-on virtual meeting rooms or VMRs connecting a variety of voice and video endpoints, priced by participant or by the minute. "Video as a service is not new but VaaS-t powered by Polycom changes the game", said Ian Vickerage, managing director of Imago Group. "Up until now end users have had to choose from services available from suppliers with limited financial resources and stability. Polycom users can be totally confident that this service will be compatible with their existing video estate whilst accessing support for their video endpoints and video service from the same supplier." With the addition of RealPresence Cloud, available through its partners, Polycom can now deliver the complete suite of video collaboration solutions, allowing businesses to enable their workforce to collaborate at home, in the office or on the road. As a commitment to its partners, Polycom is also offering RealPresence Cloud as a wholesale, white-labeled solution that allows them to bring their cloud video service to market quickly.
Polycom: www.polycom.co.uk
Imago Group: www.imagogroupplc.com
