Foreign and Commonwealth Office Services launches PSN360

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office Services (FCOS) has just announced a set of secure services delivered over the Government Secure Internet (GSI) or Public Services Network (PSN), based on Microsoft’s technology – Microsoft Office, Exchange, SharePoint, Dynamics CRM and Lync – available through the G-Cloud Framework and Cloudstore.

Here is the press release for more details...

FCO Services launches PSN360

A suite of Microsoft productivity and Office products are now available through a private cloud to host sensitive, secure official information, accredited to current business Impact Level 3 (IL3).

19 June 2013 London - FCO Services - a Trading Fund of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), a leading provider of secure ICT services to government and public sector bodies unveils PSN360. 

  • A familiar suite of Microsoft productivity and Office products available in a secure, cost effective, private cloud, via FCO Services’ new offering PSN360.
  • Microsoft Office, Exchange, SharePoint, Dynamics, and Lync hosted by FCO Services and delivered securely over the Government Secure Internet (GSI) or Public Services Network (PSN) for government and public sector organisations.
  • PSN360 allows the public sector to benefit from sharing sensitive, secure official information through a secure cloud environment, using low-cost, efficient, scalable and flexible working solutions.

Chris Moxey, Chief Executive of FCO Services said: “PSN360 represents an exciting innovation that reduces costs through shared services and collaborative working across government and the wider public sector – building on FCO Services’ existing commitments to support the Government to embrace smarter ways of working.”

“As an established secure cloud service provider we’ve designed PSN360 with security at its heart. We’re offering the familiarity of Microsoft productivity and office solutions with government grade security.”

PSN360 has been developed with Microsoft to meet stringent UK public sector security standards. FCO Services’ data centres are based in secure UK government owned sites and are monitored continuously by government security cleared staff. It is available to any organisation on the Government Secure Internet (GSI) or Public Services Network (PSN) up to and including IL3. PSN360 is accredited internally up to and including IL3. Pan-Government Accreditation (PGA) up to IL3 is in the process of being awarded.

PSN360 is capable of operating wholly online or in conjunction with local IT services, and offers interoperability with software already in use. It has been designed to help public sector organisations share official information, while delivering efficiency savings by reducing ICT costs, enabling secure work mobility and increasing employee productivity.

“Our suite of modern, integrated productivity applications have been created in order to provide users with the ability to collaborate securely wherever they are,” explained Nicola Hodson, General Manager, Public Sector at Microsoft UK. “Accredited private cloud services are still rare among large IT suppliers but by working with FCO Services we’re able to bring Office, Exchange, SharePoint, Dynamics, and Lync to the G-Cloud with IL3 certification. This means public sector bodies can use business critical programmes in a highly secure manner, protecting sensitive date and information.”

PSN360 is aligned to both the government’s G-Cloud and end-user device strategies, giving public sector organisations greater choice. Offered, with a choice of scalable deployment options, organisations can now afford to run the most recently released web enabled Microsoft applications securely from the cloud.

PSN360 delivers three key benefits: 

  1. Reduces costs – eliminates need for infrastructure overheads. Services are regularly updated to latest versions.
  2. Increases effectiveness – offers latest in secure collaboration and communication tools. Familiar software and user interface, that people use in their everyday life.
  3. Supports flexible working – work from any accredited device connected to GSI/PSN. Devices are automatically synchronised and information is accessible from virtually anywhere.

PSN360 services: 

  • PSN360 Mail - an integrated messaging solution hosted on FCO Services’ established IL3 Cloud platform – delivering the capabilities of Microsoft Exchange Server and familiar access to email, calendar, contacts and tasks.
  • PSN360 Collaboration - any organisation can now simply subscribe to a high grade IL3 Microsoft SharePoint solution for creating sites to share documents and information and to collaborate effectively with colleagues and partners over the GSI and PSN. Including online Microsoft Office applications.
  • PSN360 Communicator - Microsoft Lync is an IL3 communications service that provides instant messaging, audio/video calling and a rich online meeting experience including PC-audio, video and web conferencing.
  • PSN360 xRM - provides the workflow and management tools of Microsoft Dynamics to enhance and improve business processes – delivering a fast, flexible and best in class solution.
  • PSN360 Advise - experienced, security-cleared advisors from FCO Services who can help organisations successfully transition into the cloud.

“We provide the services to help meet mandatory cost savings in Government but also to provide the agility necessary to make fast decisions, get services deployed and scale up or down depending on what happens next. We provide the tools to underpin change, letting public sector move at their own speed and without compromise security or governance,” added Chris Moxey from FCO Services.

PSN360 is available through the UK government’s G-Cloud Framework. To request a demonstration or more information, please contact us on 44 (0)1908 515789 or FCOServices.CustomerContactCentre@fco.gov.uk