Future-proofing and scaling IT infrastructure and policies for a housing association

In June 2018, we were selected to audit the state of Thrive Homes infrastructure and their present support levels to highlight what they already had and provide advice on any issues with their existing environment, infrastructure and support.

We took the time to understand Thrive Home’s operational priorities and IT policies, so they could tailor the project to incorporate any bespoke requirements, if required, and worked with the client to define a full project plan and detailed set of tasks.

Our goal was to audit and identify security vulnerabilities, review general setup, configuration and provide a comprehensive report categorised by risk and addressed by mitigation guidance.

The final audit documentation would be used as the foundation of their ITT (Invite to tender) for support services.

about Thrive homes

Thrive Homes is an award-winning Housing Association with a strong track record and ambitious plans for the future. It owns and manages around 5,000 rented and leasehold properties across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire, and prides itself on providing good-quality, affordable homes and services, enabling the development of communities where people enjoy living.

A “leading light” in Housing Innovation, and previously best in Public Sector in the “Top 50 Companies for Customer Service” , Thrive was ranked no. 73 in the national Best Companies listing for not-for-profit organisations in 2018.

The Challenge

Thrive Homes wanted their IT environment and infrastructure to be at the forefront of technology, as they recognised the competitive edge this gave them as an organisation in their space. They needed to use best of breed technologies and services that would be fit for purpose now, and scalable to see the business well into the future. Aztech were selected to audit the state of Thrive Homes infrastructure and their present support levels to highlight what they already had and provide advice on any issues with their existing environment, infrastructure and support.
The final audit documentation would be used to create for the foundation of their ITT (Invite to tender) for support services.

the solution

We were to provide a comprehensive audit of existing IT systems, in addition to producing a detailed proposal covering all findings and recommendations, which would address any areas of concern moving forwards.

This included:
• Azure Audit
• Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity
• IT Security
• Microsoft Office 365
• Active Directory
• Licensing
• Microsoft Intune
• NetScaler & VPN
• Report Writing
• Post Audit Consultancy
• Project Management & Reporting

Implementation and Results

We took the time to understand Thrive Home’s operational priorities and IT policies,
so they could tailor the project to incorporate any bespoke requirements, if required,
and worked with the client to define a full project plan and detailed set of tasks.

We provided a full audit and assessment of Thrive Home’s IT Environment with a
comprehensive report that included details of their current configuration and any
associated risk. We then recommended remediations, suggesting areas for
improvement in line with industry best practice.

Our goal was to audit and identify security vulnerabilities, review general setup,
configuration and provide a comprehensive report categorised by risk and addressed by mitigation guidance.

Having examined their requirements, we were confident that our proposed services
would effectively address their needs.

"Aztech IT took the time to understand our priorities and IT policies, which allowed us to tailor the project to suit us. Their enthusiasm and flexibility helped provide the best solutions for now and for the future of the company. We’ve developed a great
relationship with them and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them."

John Stenton
IT Manager
Thrive Homes