FAQ's | RedDot IT

How can my business save money by using the Red Dot IT Solution?

Unpredictable IT costs place a real burden on your business. The Red Dot IT Solution gives you predictable, monthly IT expenses by eliminating the costs of upgrades, monitoring, patching and operations of your infrastructure. We give you the flexibility to choose from three scalable plans bronze, silver or gold. You pick the plan that is right for you. This allows you to redirect IT resources, reduce unanticipated support costs and plan your expenses accurately.

For a complete cost analysis, contact Red Dot IT Sales at 0845 686 0016. You may be surprised at how much we can reduce your current IT spending.

Why should my business choose the Red Dot IT Solution over hosting?

The greatest advantage Red Dot IT has over hosting is that if our network or your Internet Service Provider’s network goes down, your systems are still operational.  Because the servers reside at each company’s premises, the only thing lost during an outage is monitoring and remote backups.  Red Dot IT will be immediately notified of such an outage and will help restore the network.  The Red Dot IT solution also includes many of the benefits of hosting, such as security and server monitoring, remote storage of data and fixed monthly fees but for significantly lower cost.

What are the contract terms?

Contracts are typically setup to be 3 year contracts. We have the option to cancel with a 30-day cancellation notice. Specific terms will be in the SLA.  Shorter contracts are available under certain circumstances.

How does Red Dot IT handle backups?

Backups are continual and managed remotely.  All data is remotely sent to the Red Dot IT data center.  This service can either be part of your service agreement, or it can be purchased as a separate product.  Red Dot IT can retrieve customer files from up to 30 days prior to the last backup and this window can be extended for an additional fee.

What if my business already has an IT staff?

More than a third of all businesses using the Red Dot IT solution also employ a part-time or full-time IT staff.  By eliminating the necessity to work on low-level, repetitive, non-strategic tasks, the Red Dot solution frees your staff to focus on long-term strategic technology objectives, such as:

• Intranet portal services for employees
• Extranet portal services for customers
• Line of business applications
• Employee technical training
• Database development and management
• Application performance reporting
• Management of digital dashboards
• Web site development and management
• Aligning IT goals with long-term vision of the management team
• Professional training and certifications

The Red Dot Solution provides a solid foundation for these initiatives and allows your company to maximize its IT investment.

What kind of software is included with the Red Dot IT solution?        

Red Dot provides software primarily from Microsoft, although we are licensed resellers for various other vendors.  Red Dot provides a very robust software and support platform for small businesses to grow on. The specific software will depend upon the requirements of the customer. Red Dot can offer very affordable software rental programs from Microsoft as well as the ability to setup lease programs for your software purchases.

Do we need a disaster and recovery plan?

The Red Dot IT solution solves most IT-related disaster and recovery problems.  In the event of a disaster, such as theft or fire, Red Dot can build a new server with your most recent data and have it on your premises within 24 hours.  Customers will still need to plan for desktops and other business specific processes.

If we accidentally delete a file, how will Red Dot IT restore it?

Simply call the Help Desk at 0845 686 0016 and a support representative will restore it over the phone.  Or, send requests via email: assitst@reddot-it.co.uk.

How often are the server and software updated?

Server software is updated every time an update is release according to the published service level.

How are patches and service packs applied?

Service packs and software updates are applied after Red Dot IT fully tests each one in the lab.  All updates are performed after business hours or according to the customer’s schedule.

How safe is our data?

The Red Dot IT data center is stored in redundant datacenters (Europe and US) under the strictest guidelines and offers:

• 128-bit SSL encryption — Safely secures your data during transport.
• 448-bit Blowfish encryption — Safely secures your data on the servers.
• Private encryption key options — Choose our 448-bit key or manage your own private key to encrypt your data.
• Near Continuous Data Protection — We Can automatically detect and back up new and changed files every 2 hours.

For more details, speak with a sales representative

How secure is the server?

Security is of utmost importance to Red Dot.  We employ the latest in security technology in all servers and monitor them continually, 24x7x365. Any unusual activity is automatically reported to our highly-trained monitoring team, who follow specific escalation procedures in the event of a breach.

Will existing data and email be moved to the new server?

All data, including email, will be moved to the new server as part of the initial setup.  All existing network peripherals, such as printers, hubs, switches and routers, are configured on the new server.

Do we need an Internet connection?

Yes – the Red DOT IT’s solution requires a broadband (DSL or Cable) or better connection with static IP.  If you don’t have a broadband connection, Red DOT can arrange one for an additional fee.

What if we decide to cancel the service?

Depending on the service in question, Red DOT IT will simply terminate the service, remove the service from the server or transfer the service to the customer. Certain prepaid items may be required to be paid to Red Dot IT. Our intention is to make it very simple for you to enter or leave a managed service engagement. We want you to use us to supplement your staff on your timeline, not ours.