Built on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) best practice, UKCloud delivers solutions based upon three cloud service models: Infrastructure-as-a-Service, consisting of compute and storage on-demand; Platform-as-a-Service, enabling rapid scalability of applications; and Software-as- a-Service, consisting of web based applications like email. Using best of breed vBlock technology from Cisco, EMC and VMware purpose - built for cloud-based service provision – and wrapped in a layer of protection and monitoring from MOD spin-off Qinetiq, UKCloud has built a state-of-the-art environment to provide highly secure multitenanted solutions.

To deliver these services requires a massive investment in technology and an ability to respond to customer requirements fast. Whilst still an emerging business, UKCloud quickly realised that they would need a seasoned IT partner able to support them in the acquisition and deployment of the technology they would need. With proven experience of working with Softcat, Chief Executive Phil Dawson drafted in their skills to provide the project by project support UKCloud would require. “Whilst we conduct most of the design work in conjunction with our major vendors, we needed the help of an expert partner for advice and recommendations on the specific products to use to get the performance, availability and capacity characteristics we look for on any given project,” explains David Booton, Product Marketing Manager at UKCloud.

Similarly, the typically tight timescales required to build and deploy new solutions for Skyscape’s customers meant their chosen partner needed to possess some important attributes. Crucially, they needed to understand what UKCloud were trying to achieve with their business and secondly they had to have the respect of UKCloud’s vendors to get the best possible results and achieve everything from better discount to improved delivery terms.