In today’s fast-paced digital world, organisations are constantly seeking innovative solutions to enhance their operations. The Lothian Pension Fund, responsible for managing pension portfolios for the City of Edinburgh Council and other employers, embarked on a transformative journey to modernise their IT infrastructure. Their goal was clear: to implement a flexible and secure cloud-based suite of IT services.
The Challenge
Managing pension portfolios involves handling vast amounts of sensitive data. Ensuring the security and accessibility of this data is paramount. The Lothian Pension Fund needed a solution that could provide robust security measures while offering the flexibility to adapt to changing needs and technologies.
The Solution
After thorough research and evaluation, the Lothian Pension Fund decided to migrate to a cloud-based IT service suite. This move was aimed at achieving several key objectives:
- Enhanced Security: Implementing advanced security protocols to protect sensitive pension data.
- Flexibility: Adopting a scalable solution that can grow with the organisation’s needs.
- Efficiency: Streamlining operations to improve overall efficiency and reduce costs.
Comprehensive Services
The cloud-based suite encompassed a wide range of services to meet the diverse needs of the Lothian Pension Fund:
- Greenfield Infrastructure: Network, storage, licensing, bespoke applications, web hosting, telephony, contact centre, hardware provision, and asset management.
- Support Services: Helpdesk, maintenance, and monitoring to ensure smooth operations.
- Process Development: Implementing ITIL best practices, Cloud Services, financial compliance, contact centre, and telephony.
Overcoming Challenges
One of the significant challenges was severing data from an existing and continuing operational and service model. Additionally, the development of new processes and services had to be aligned with industry best practices. The programme delivery was further complicated by the constraints of lockdown and the ongoing pandemic.
The Implementation
The transition to the cloud was meticulously planned and executed. The Lothian Pension Fund collaborated with leading cloud service providers to ensure a seamless migration. Key steps in the implementation process included:
- Assessment and Planning: Conducting a comprehensive assessment of existing IT infrastructure and identifying areas for improvement.
- Data Migration: Securely transferring data to the cloud while ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing operations.
- Training and Support: Providing extensive training to staff to ensure they are well-equipped to utilise the new system effectively.
Our experience in providing test plans and test scripts allowed system and user acceptance testing to take place following implementation. Our tried and tested planning process engaged key business users and third-party penetration testers, who seamlessly followed the structure to validate access, control, security, and functionality was aligned to the deliverables of the programme.
Collaborative Approach
Our partnership approach from the start meant that we were able to work closely with the LPF team to fully understand their business needs. Through short, detailed workshops, we identified core operational requirements and converted them into practical solutions within the design. Our design approach details the platform outcomes in a very simple way, allowing business users and IT owners to understand.
Innovative Solutions
Industry-leading technologies were interrogated for threat protection, traffic and network management, and operational services. Through detailed and documented low-level design, configured, tested, and implemented to ensure functionality, security, and best value. Design stages included the low-level design and implementation of telephony services through the use of Microsoft Teams powered by Service Board Controllers.
By simplifying LPF’s needs, our technical architects were able to provide solution designs that allowed the necessary integration of these services, handing configuration of the contact centre to the business’s in-house experts, who can quickly and easily manage internally.
The Results
The environment delivered to LPF has allowed them to continue to develop in line with technological advances, safe in the knowledge that it is future-proof to remain agile in their business sector. LPF has gone on to integrate new finance systems, and automation processes utilising advanced security features. They have also achieved both Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus for their estate, cementing their compliance with financial authorities who govern them.
Conclusion
The Lothian Pension Fund’s successful transition to a cloud-based IT service suite serves as a testament to the power of modern technology in transforming organisational operations. By prioritising security, flexibility, and efficiency, they have set a benchmark for other organisations looking to modernise their IT infrastructure.
