Is there anything more frustrating that an unexpected technology failure at work? You were flying along, being as productive as you’ve ever been -- and then there’s a system failure. Suddenly, you don’t have access to the one tool you need to do your job. Typical, really.
Reliability matter to every organisation, no matter the size or the sector. But the MOD takes that principle to another level. They’ve got 300,000 users on 180,000 devices all over the world – many of them working from remote locations with special challenges. The job is hard enough without their tools suddenly becoming unavailable.
Some organisations would be tempted to use this an excuse to play it safe and rely on outdated technology. But the MOD’s needs are always evolving and so its tools need to keep up. It’s continually updating its IT assets to keep pace with what employees need to get the job done. It needs to be able to deploy new or updated tools regularly and train staff on their use, all without any sudden interruptions in service.
Fortunately, the MOD doesn’t have to do it alone. The MOD Defence Information Services Team has a Microsoft Services Premier Support Agreement in place, which means they’ve got a Microsoft Service Management Consultant on hand to help them. The SMC is there to help the MOD better understand their IT needs and then aid them in developing best practices regarding system delivery, as well as staff training. Together, they’ve lowered the risk of downtime, while improving services and creating a positive, collaborative culture that empowers workers.
Of course, the MOD also needs to work closely with software vendors to make sure that all applications adhere to the MOD’s functional requirements. The Microsoft Services Premier Support for Developers team can help there, both in developing guidelines for developing and testing applications throughout the MOD. Having help at hand from professionals who can provide support for a wide variety of software, not just Microsoft products, helps the MOD further reduce downtime and enhance productivity.
Want to learn more about how the MOD is lowering its risk of downtime?
- Get an in-depth look at MOD’s work with developers.
- Learn more about how MOD optimised their IT deployment strategy.
- Find out how Microsoft Services is helping public sector offices use their IT resources more effectively.