IT equipment & networks, web design & information security
Supply, installation and maintenance of computers and networks
Website design and maintenance, email and the Internet
Security of systems and information
Security polices

IT equipment & networks, web design & information security

The Support Solutions team has expertise in 3 areas of Information Technology which we know to be important to the sector. The areas are:

• The supply, installation and maintenance of computers and networks
• Website design and maintenance, Email and the Internet
• Information and Systems Security

In the sector, the provider side is often under resourced in IT equipment, budgets and skills. So we have set up specific IT solutions to meet the sector's needs.

Support Solutions is very aware that the IT supply sector does not meet the needs of Providers. This is because they are simply not used to dealing with not-for-profit/non-commercial sector agencies with limited budgets that often do not have the IT skill set, which is assumed within the commercial sector. This often leads to that most fatal of IT mistakes: the failure of the IT Company to understand your needs, or in their language, a failure to correctly understand the end-user/client specification.

Supply, installation and maintenance of computers and networks

If your organisation needs IT equipment, from a single PC to an entire network, Support Solutions can help. Our strong reputation for being able to supply, deliver, install and configure entry level to high-end computers, peripherals and operating systems, is second to none. Maintenance and support packages are also available.

So, if you're thinking of purchasing, changing or upgrading IT please contact us to get a quote. You might be surprised at how reasonable our charges are.

Website design and maintenance, email and the Internet

Many Providers now have Internet and email set-up, but there are a significant numbers without websites.

Support Solutions can develop your website, and offer very simple to fully dynamic sites with full support and maintenance packages. Again, at significantly less money than a commercial web design company and, with a far better idea of the 'end-user specification' - what the client actually needs!

Connecting Providers to the Internet and to email is to their advantage. Support Solutions remove the mystery and complication that is primarily a myth propagated by the IT sector to reinforce reliance on their services.

The DCLG has couched Supporting People in an electronic context. You only have to look at the KWEB or the Performance Return, Strategic Relevance and Demand Questionnaire in order to see this. Some Supporting People teams insist on returns being provided electronically and others use their websites as a primary "interface" with Providers.

Whether you need IT training, help setting up email or a website developing, please call us. Our philosophy is to enable you, not to create dependence on us.

Security of systems and information

Security is important to a Providers 'Internet computer network' for a number of reasons:

• spam;
• virus infections and
• hackers.

Spam can not be eradicated (yet), but its impact on your email inbox can be managed. Virus infections are very, very common and in some cases can cripple a provider's computer network as well as its ability to access the Internet and use email. We always secure any PC or network we install with anti viral software and a firewall, but we can also "disinfect" any virus (or other "malware") infected PC or network for a fraction of the costs charged by the commercial sector. Usually, our team can do this without having to take your equipment away.

It may seem odd to speculate that a Provider's IT network might be hacked but it is a fact that 85% of hacks are "inside jobs" done by disaffected staff and hacking is an activity that has grown exponentially. Think about the information a provider would keep on its computer system. Much of it, confidential information about vulnerable people, service users. Some information will be confidential for other reasons, ie, personnel records or sensitive information about budgets and costs.

Security polices

Support Solutions can supply Providers with information on security policies and procedures that is related to the way it stores information and the work it does. Fairly recently, the Data Protection Act was updated to take account of information held on computer. There are plenty of nightmare stories about the liabilities and risks to providers when its' staff are not clear about the acceptable use of email and the Internet. Furthermore, many Provider's computer networks have minimal access controls, in other words, anyone with access to the network can access any part of it and view, change or delete your files.