Working in partnership

Situation
With offices, staff and customers dispersed across the world and continuous developments in technology and increasingly advanced technological threats, the FCO needed reliable and resilient IT communications channels protected to the highest standards of security. 

Solution
Working in partnership with Hewlett Packard, as part of a Joint Service Delivery Team (JSDT) we have been able to supply resources and expertise to support the delivery of their project that put in place an updated technological platform with multiple built-in layers of security.

By providing expertise and services from across the organisation our secure logistics team delivered cabling, infrastructure and sensitive equipment, using their contacts on the ground to gain access to some of the most remote and hazardous locations in the world. Our installation engineers installed 75,000m of cable in 220 global locations over 53,000 hours; our overseas network of technical specialists conducted surveys, supplied information about cabling and cabinet wiring and carried out preliminary technical work to upgrade local networks prior to roll-out. With this support, the Project Managers were able to plan the delivery to each embassy, oversee the implementation and review the outcomes in each area.  

Partnership teams set up dedicated training facilities, for technical trainers to familiarise staff with their new systems while the technicians rolled out the technology at their desks. Our global network of technical specialists were on hand to help co-ordinate on cut over, ensure technical sign-off at the embassy and continue to provide ongoing systems backup.  

Our technicians also supported a staged changeover of systems to teams across the FCO‘s offices in the UK. Underpinning the entire process has been the JSDT helpdesk team, providing a 24-hour service desk to give round-the-clock technical guidance and support to staff around the world.  

Impact
The updated IT platform, provides faster more secure communications across the world, enabling the FCO to work effectively and confidentially both at home and abroad. Uniquely placed to work with large organisations such as Hewlett Packard on the delivery of complex and highly sensitive projects, we have been able to add value with our expertise in secure IT, the high level security clearance of our staff and our capability to deliver secure logistics and projects abroad.