Blog - Page 2 of 13 - DNA IT Solutions
Blog, IBM cloud solutions

Mobile

Posted on by wpdc
21
Apr

This guide explains how IBM can power your mobile applications with its smart mobile Cloud.

DNA IT Solutions have been chosen as one of just a few IBM Partners in Ireland. Selected based on our experience and expertise in providing customer solutions that work.

We offer this enterprise cloud solution to our larger clients that have more complex requirements. We implement your transition, scoping and planning to make the transition easier.

The platform and tools to build native mobile apps and robust mobile back ends

Build smarter mobile services and applications using IBM Cloud. Build, launch and maintain native, hybrid or web-based mobile apps. Speed and optimise mobile app development with IBM Cloud solutions

IBM Cloud offers solutions and services built to enable you to accelerate and optimise mobile app development. The IBM Cloud Developer Console empowers you to quickly architect, prototype and bring apps to market within hours or days rather than weeks or months. With IBM Cloud Mobile Services, you can use enterprise-proven mobile capabilities to answer competitive challenges and exploit market trends.

IBM Cloud gives you the flexibility to choose from the latest cloud architectures and languages. Build your app and extend its capabilities with engaging and powerful services and data such as IBM Watson®, IBM Internet of Things platform, Weather Company data and more. Extend your mobile app to the web with web-enabled services like IBM Cloud App ID and IBM Push Notifications.

Disrupting traditional business with new IT

Mobile is better on the IBM Cloud. With IBM Cloud, you can focus on delivering great apps quickly and securely with less worry about backend issues.

Building successful mobile apps: Learn about a comprehensive approach for developing mobile business applications, including best practices for collaborative software lifecycle management.

Choose your products

IBM offers the platform and tools you need to build native mobile apps and robust mobile back ends.

Your first iOS or Android mobile app: iOS app with Push and Analytics. Quickly create an iOS Swift application with high-value mobile services like Push Notifications and Mobile Analytics on IBM Cloud.

Android app with Push and Analytics: Quickly create an Android native application with high-value mobile services like Push Notifications and Mobile Analytics on IBM Cloud.

Mobile application with serverless back end: Learn how to use IBM Cloud Functions along with other cognitive and data services to build a serverless back end for a mobile application.

Mobile Foundation

    • Scalable, secure mobile access that simplifies integration with backend and cloud services.
    • App ID – Add authentication to web and mobile apps, including through social login.
    • Mobile Analytics – Monitor performance and usage of all your applications from your desktop or tablet.
    • Push Notifications – Send real-time notifications to mobile and web applications.

IBM Cloud solutions for existing mobile apps

    1. Prototype, build or update existing mobile apps. Rapidly build using Code Starters for data, weather and Watson services.
    2. Extend existing mobile apps using back-end–for– front-end architecture. Achieve best-in-class c loud-native design by using back ends tailored to each front end.
    3. Develop more intelligent apps with Watson services. Add intelligence to your mobile apps with cognitive capabilities

Build native mobile apps for Android or iOS

  • Build your iOS app on IBM Cloud
  • Build your Android app on IBM Cloud
  • Build your hybrid mobile app on IBM Cloud • Build your web-based mobile app on IBM Cloud • Build Swift mobile apps in the cloud • Move your IBM Mobile Foundation app to IBM Cloud • Build, iterate and innovate with Mobile Foundation on IBM Cloud.

More IBM Cloud solutions for mobile

IBM DevOps Services on IBM Cloud: Respond to market and customer needs faster. Scale DevOps to the enterprise without disruption. Build a startup culture.

IBM Cloud Functions: Use a serverless architecture to meet the evolving demands of the mobile-driven user experience.

IBM Cloud Container Service: Package and deploy apps that you want to run across multiple environments.


Blog, Your journey to the cloud

Microsoft Azure Guide

Posted on by wpdc
21
Apr

Welcome to another of our user guides that takes the mystery out of IT for business owners. In this guide we explore Microsoft Azure and why it might be the perfect fit for your business.

What is Microsoft Azure?

Microsoft Azure is an ever-expanding set of Cloud services to help your organisation meet your business challenges. It’s the freedom to build, manage, and deploy applications on a massive, global network using your favourite tools and frameworks.

Why Cloud?

The main drivers for a business to make the move to Cloud are all ones that lead to business success. While there will be technology benefits, the actual benefit to the bottom line is what most businesses are interested in.

Efficiency

With the introduction of Cloud, systems can be updated in order to streamline processes. Saving time and money by getting the work done quicker and with less resources needed. This will result in the ability to take on more clients and have the budget to access new markets.

Customer experience

With Cloud comes a lot more benefits to the actual customer. A more efficient business will be able to serve the customer better and in turn increase customer loyalty and retention. Your satisfied customers will help your business success by being brand ambassadors on your behalf.

Cost

While moving to new systems you will naturally assume higher costs, when it comes to Cloud this is generally not the case. The efficiencies gained will outweigh any costs involved. Reducing costs such as infrastructure, licences, operations and redefining the cost model for technology solutions will be welcome.

Business growth

To expand a business, you need to sell more of what you have to existing customers or seek out new markets to sell to. Cloud can break down the barriers that may have been preventing expansion. New systems can help to drive sales and increase productivity, all leading to increased growth for the business.

Flexibility

This is one of the most enjoyed benefit of Cloud. IT is a business enabler and having an agile way to scale up or down on demand will be a great business advantage. Technology changes so rapidly and as a business you need to keep up. Cloud allows that flexibility and you only pay for what you need.

Assurance

Data protection is key to any business and Cloud offers assurance that you cannot get with other options. Protecting your data against disaster or security breaches is a critical action and by using Cloud you will be maximising disaster recovery effectiveness. These drivers will help make the decision to move to the Cloud a more comfortable one for your business.

Managing security, compliance and data privacy with Azure

Every business has different needs and every business will reap distinct benefits from Cloud solutions. Still, customers of all kinds have the same basic concerns about moving to the Cloud. They want to retain control of their data, and they want that data to be kept secure and private, all while maintaining transparency and compliance. What customers want from Cloud providers is:

Secure our data

While acknowledging that the Cloud can provide increased data security and administrative control, IT leaders are still concerned that migrating to the Cloud will leave them more vulnerable to hackers than their current in-house solutions.

Keep our data private

Cloud services raise unique privacy challenges for businesses. As companies look to the Cloud to save on infrastructure costs and improve their flexibility, they also worry about losing control of where their data is stored, who is accessing it, and how it gets used.

Give us control

Even as they take advantage of the Cloud to deploy more innovative solutions, companies are very concerned about losing control of their data. The recent disclosures of government agencies accessing customer data, through both legal and extra-legal means, make some CIOs wary of storing their data in the Cloud.

Promote transparency

While security, privacy, and control are important to business decision-makers, they also want the ability to independently verify how their data is being stored, accessed, and secured.

Maintain compliance

As companies expand their use of Cloud technologies, the complexity and scope of standards and regulations continue to evolve. Companies need to know that their compliance standards will be met, and that compliance will evolve as regulations change over time.

Azure has addressed all these concerns and that is why 90% of Fortune 500 companies trust their business to run on the Microsoft Cloud and are doing amazing things with it.

Why Azure is the right choice:

Productive: Reduce time to market, by delivering features faster with over 100 end-to-end services.

 

Hybrid: Develop and deploy where you want, with the only consistent hybrid Cloud on the market.

 

Extend Azure on-premises with Azure Stack.

 

Intelligent: Create intelligent apps using powerful data and artificial intelligence services.

 

Trusted: Join start-ups, governments, and 90 percent of Fortune 500 businesses who run on the Microsoft Cloud today.

Is Azure secure?

Yes, security and privacy are built into the Azure platform. Microsoft is committed to the highest levels of trust, transparency, standards conformance, and regulatory compliance with the most comprehensive set of compliance offerings of any Cloud service provider. 

Is it only for Windows apps and services?

Yes, security and privacy are built into the Azure platform. Microsoft is committed to the highest levels of trust, transparency, standards conformance, and regulatory compliance with the most comprehensive set of compliance offerings of any Cloud service provider.

Will Azure work for my industry?

Azure provides solutions for all industries. Bring together Cloud services and products tailored for your industry to help meet your specific needs and drive innovation.

It’s the Cloud for all

Azure believe that the success made possible by the Cloud must be accessible to every business and every organisation —small and large, old and new.

If you are considering a journey to the Cloud but are confused by the options, then you should speak with us. DNA IT Solutions work with businesses that are interested in ensuring their IT infrastructure is ready for growth. We not only work with you to give the technology for today, we also plan with you for the future.


Blog, The benefits of managed IT services

Managed IT Services

Posted on by wpdc
21
Apr

What Does A Managed IT Services Provider Do? Businesses Today Rely On Their IT Systems For Many Aspects Of Their Business.


In fact, these systems are like a heartbeat keeping the company working. Each industry sector comes with its own complexity and knowledge base. However, not all businesses have an IT expert as part of their team and that’s when the management of IT systems need to be out sourced to an expert

AN IT MANAGED SERVICE PROVIDER

A company that offers managed services for IT will offer a wide variety of products and services to a business. Normally they will have a team of experts on hand with various skills and expertise. They should be easily accessible and act as a partner to you, almost becoming a part of your tem.

They will look at your specific needs and offer a bespoke solution for your business. Allowing you and your team to get on with your core jobs without having to be concerned about your technology.

PROACTIVE

It’s important that your managed IT service provider acts in a proactive way to try to minimise any downtime due to issues. Somebody that is just on hand to fix something when it breaks is not the answer. You want somebody who works behind the scenes to ensure the smooth running of your technology. Somebody who will build a road map for the future with plans built around your growth.

THE BENEFITS OF MANAGED IT SERVICES

Appointing the right partner will mean that you as a customer will benefit from many services and supports:

  • 24/7 Helpdesk Support. That includes after hours, weekends and holidays
  • On-site support when it is needed, remote support when it is more effective
  • A fixed monthly cost that allows for accurate budget forecasting
  • Proactive maintenance and monitoring at all stages and levels
  • Network monitoring and management that allows for identification of any issue before it causes an issue
  • Enhanced network security and data protection, keeping your business safe
  • Increased employee productivity as less time wasted due to downtime
  • Access to the most up to date technology and the knowledge necessary to use it
  • Help with IT security, technologies, products and user training
  • Updates, backups, license use management
  • Disaster recovery planning and business continuity services
  • Email filtering, spam and antivirus technologies

If you are looking for a managed IT service provider talk to DNA IT Solutions today. We have a wide portfolio of products and services and our expert team can provide your business with the right technology.


Blog, IT Security & Recovery planning

Disaster Recovery

Posted on by wpdc
21
Apr

In this guide we look at Disaster Recovery Planning and explain why it is so important to business today.

Welcome to another of our user guides that takes the mystery out of IT for business owners. In this guide we explain what disaster recovery is and why it is vital to have a robust plan in place should the unexpected occur.

DRaaS Disaster Recovery as a Service

Disasters can and do happen. Cyber-attacks, natural disasters, and system failures are just a few of the uncontrollable events that could potentially harm your company. Regardless of the size of your business, a physical or technological disaster could result in a significant financial loss. However, although disasters are not always preventable, it is possible to minimise their impact.

In the event of a disaster, a recovery plan will enable you to minimise downtime and reassure your customers.

Reduce the Impact of Natural Disasters

Floods, hurricanes, blizzards, earthquakes, and other natural disasters are difficult to predict and almost impossible to control. Such disasters can result in significant downtime for businesses. You may lose access to phone lines, to customer files, and even to your office. Without a predetermined disaster recovery plan, you risk damaging the health of your company.

Human Error

People make mistakes. Unfortunately, a single error can sometimes result in the loss of data or a major product flaw. Of course, one of the best ways to minimise human error is to train your employees to a high standard. But it’s also important to be prepared by having a disaster recovery system. Putting a disaster recovery plan in place is one of the most important steps a company can take. A thorough plan ensures that you will have no unnecessary downtime after a disaster and that you will continue to have access to data.

Cyber Attack

Cybercrime in Ireland is double global levels and businesses of all sizes and in all sectors have been affected. Looking at these trends, those cyber- attacks are only going to increase in the coming years. All size businesses must assess their risks individually. It’s been shown that the chances of a smaller business having a breach is much greater and the likelihood of them making a full recovery is a lot less. Why? Because they don’t have the infrastructure in place to both protect them from attack and help them recover should such a disaster occur.

More data:
There has never been so much processing and storage of information as there is today. There is also more dependency on IT systems and therefore cybercrime has become very lucrative. The hackers know the high impact they can create on a business. It’s not just something related to the ‘computer systems going down’, it could be the business going down the drain.

An attack can mean loss of data and downtime which in turn could affect your business negatively. Losing customers, loss of revenue and damage to reputation are all scary notions.

How to Protect Having the correct processes in place to help prevent that attack is the first priority. And also having a plan in place should a disaster occur so you can recover quickly from it and ensure business continuity. Disaster Recover not only for on premise but also for the cloud environment.

A Solid Disaster Plan

Consider your business, what would happen if you lost some data? Or data was compromised? Think about what the cost to your organisation would be. Not only the loss of reputation, clients or money but the regulations in your sector could result in the closure of the business. That is why it is so important to have a plan in place when it comes to business continuity and disaster recovery.

What is Business Continuity?

These attacks can and do happen regularly. However, having a plan in place to ensure your critical business applications can continue during a disaster is the best solution.

Attacks can be man-made, natural or via cyber criminals, you need a robust plan and systems in place that offer peace of mind should the worst happen. The impact on your business of downtime and data loss can be significant and you need to be back up in hours not days. You need to have backups that are minutes old, not days old.

DNA IT Solutions work with clients to assess their risks, look at their particular challenges and needs. We then design a strategy around disaster recovery that is the right fit. We test and re-test to ensure peace of mind for all. Ensuring your business can continue after an attack, be it natural or cyber.

DNA IT Solutions will help you to create an appropriate disaster recovery system and can also help you implement it if becomes necessary. Preparing a thorough recovery plan is an investment for the future health of your business.


News

DNA IT Solutions shortlisted for two categories at TechExcellence Awards 2026

Posted on by Deirdre Cashion
DNA have ben shortlisted in the MSP and MSSP categories of the TechExcellence Awards
21
Apr

DNA IT Solutions has been shortlisted for Managed Security Services Provider of the Year and Managed Service Company of the Year at the TechExcellence Awards 2026. Hosted by TechCentral.ie, the awards ceremony takes place on 14th May at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dublin.

The nomination continues a strong run at the awards for the Blanchardstown-based company. DNA IT Solutions won Managed Security Services Provider of the Year in 2025 and 2024, and now returns as a shortlisted entrant in both categories simultaneously.

The TechExcellence Awards are widely regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of the Irish technology industry, recognising outstanding performance across managed services, security, cloud, and emerging technology.

The double shortlisting reflects DNA IT Solutions’ continued focus on delivering integrated IT, cloud, and security services to mid-market Irish businesses — organisations that carry the data risk and regulatory obligations of larger enterprises but need a provider built to serve them at their scale.

Declan Hussey, CEO of DNA IT Solutions, said:

“Winning back-to-back at the TechExcellence Awards is something we’re proud of, but the number that matters most to me is 10 years — our average client retention. That figure is earned by a team that shows up, knows their clients’ businesses inside out, and never treats a support call as just a ticket. This shortlisting belongs to them.”

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 14th May. Further details at techawards.techcentral.ie.

Blog, IT Security & Recovery planning

Cloud Security

Posted on by wpdc
24
Mar

With the growing reliance on IT infrastructure a business needs to maintain high levels of security in order to protect itself from attack.

Welcome to this introduction to cyber security awareness brought to you by DNA IT Solutions. This guide is one of a series that we hope will be useful to give you an insight into what you can do to protect your business from attack. Sharing these useful tips with your team could help protect your business.

A robust Cyber Security Plan will provide protection against theft of information, damage to equipment and prevent disruption of business services.

With smart devices becoming more common and wireless networks being used regularly certain checks and systems should be put in place to help protect a business.

A comprehensive security solution for the organisation is needed, however, this needs to run hand in hand with a well-educated user. The human can be the biggest threat to a business when it comes to maintaining security of data and access to sensitive information

Passwords

Sometimes when it comes to security it’s the simplest things are forgotten about. Having secure passwords can prevent hackers from accessing data. A secure password should contain a mixture of letters, numbers, characters and remember stronger is longer. It’s important that the same password should not be used for multiple applications.

Username and password based security alone is not adequate in many cases so that is where multi factor authentication (MFA) can provide additional safeguards. That may include pin numbers, maths equations, security questions or even biometrics or voice recognition.

Key Points

  • Long passwords are more secure
  • Do not share passwords
  • Use a mix of characters, letters, numbers
  • A different password for each access point

Emails

Email is still the preferred method of communication within the business world yet it can leave a business exposed to all sorts of issues.

Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. If an email looks suspicious don’t engage with it and do not open attachments unless you were expecting them. If in doubt, phone the sender to check it before clicking and creating an issue.

Your email gateway is the best defence against email threats. Sophos offer anti-spam technologies to stop ransomware emails, while antivirus scans for and blocks email-borne threats. Blocking emails with macro attachments can help you avoid another common ransomware technique.

Key Points

  • Be cautious about attachments
  • If it looks wrong don’t click or engage
  • Don’t give personal information
  • Put suitable technology in place to protect

Mobile Protection

With remote and mobile working people are now using tablets and smartphones in the same way they used to use laptops. They are used in both personal life and now that has slipped across to work life also. It’s important to protect both the user and the device to prevent any security issues.

The first step would be to ensure anti-malware software is installed on all mobile devices and that passwords used are secure. There are many other features that can be employed such as lost device and wipe clear applications in the event of a misplaced device.

Key Points

  • More secure passwords
  • Ensure protection software is installed
  • Be mindful when using public wi-fi
  • Be extra careful to avoid loss of device

Protecting sensitive information

With the onset of GDPR is it more important than ever to ensure we have control over our data and who has access to it. Information in the wrong hands can cause untold damage to a business. Data that is stored within the organisation should have a backup in case of loss. To increase security only reputable sharing platforms should be used. Employees should not copy information to a public sharing platform that may not as secure.

Data can be encrypted to increase security so when it is moving between devices it is more secure.

Key Points

  • Use only secure sharing platforms
  • Encrypt sensitive information before sharing
  • Create a back up
  • Set authorisation access levels

Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. A ransomware attack can leave an organisation crippled with the loss of access to files and a demand for payment. Businesses both large and small are increasingly under threat and the disruption it can cause can be devastating.

The risk can be reduced by ensuring you have reputable antivirus software and a firewall. However, it is important that all updates are completed promptly. The effects may be minimised if you have good backups in place so you can access and restore information if required.

Key Points

  • Employ content scanning and filtering on your mail servers
  • Keep up-to-date with relevant patches
  • Be careful using public wireless Internet
  • Have good antivirus software and a firewall
News

We’ve Changed our Look to Reflect Growth Plans for 2026

Posted on by Deirdre Cashion
Set of new DNA IT Logos
06
Jan

We’ve refined our visual identity to better reflect who we are and how we work. The changes create clearer distinctions between our services whilst maintaining a unified brand presence.

This wasn’t about a design refresh or following the latest design trends; it was about solving a problem that had become impossible to ignore.

DNA IT Solutions has grown significantly. Three distinct service areas, each with its own complexity, each serving different client needs. Our old branding couldn’t handle this structure. Everything looked the same, whether we were discussing cloud infrastructure or security operations.

The solution required more than a new logo. We needed a system.

How the new identity works

We now have two logo types. The main DNA IT Solutions logo represents the company as a whole; you’ll see it on our website, in general communications, on business cards. Service logos appear only in materials specific to that service. If you receive a Managed Security proposal, it carries the purple shield logo. A Cloud Services presentation uses the aqua cloud logo. Managed IT materials display the green network icon.

This distinction matters when you’re deep in technical documentation or comparing different service offerings. The visual cue tells you immediately which domain you’re in.

The colour system follows the same logic. Our primary palette gives us Deep Charcoal as the foundation, with Deep Green and Emerald Green providing our core brand colours. These appear across everything we do. Then each service has its own secondary colour: purple for Managed Security, green for Managed IT, aqua for Cloud Services.

Open a security assessment report and you’ll see purple accents throughout. That same purple appears in security-focused social media posts, event materials, technical guides. The consistency creates recognition; over time, you’ll associate purple with our security practice before you read any text.

Typography anchors the system. Degular Semibold handles all headings and subheadings, giving us a distinctive voice across every touchpoint. Poppins Light serves as our body typeface, chosen specifically for clarity in technical documentation. These

What you’ll notice

These changes will roll out gradually across all customer-facing materials over the next quarter. Proposals will arrive with the new service logos. Our website and socials reflect the updated colour system. Email signatures, technical documentation, quarterly business reviews; everything will shift to the new identity.

You’ll see the main DNA IT Solutions logo on general communications, the service logos on specialist materials. Colour coding will become familiar quickly. Within a month, you’ll instinctively recognise which service area a document relates to before you process the content.

The fundamentals haven’t changed. You get the same great technical expertise and support commitment. We’ve simply created a visual language that matches how we actually work and how you actually engage with us.

This identity was built to scale. As we expand capabilities and add services, the system accommodates growth without losing coherence. That’s the difference between a logo and an identity system; one is decoration, the other is infrastructure.

What are your thoughts on our new identity?

Blog

How to Reduce Cyber Insurance Premiums: Security Measures That Lower Your Costs

Posted on by Deirdre Cashion
27
Oct

This week, our Sales Manager, Andrew Pearsall had a fascinating conversation with a client about the evolving landscape of cyber insurance and how it’s increased in scope and importance over the years.

Up until very recently, the questions on the cyber insurance proposal form were relatively basic. However, as more and more security threats emerge, the questionnaire and the information required by clients to provide, has become more onerous.

Premiums continue to rise.

The cyber insurance market in Ireland is growing rapidly and according to PwC’s 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights report, 41 per cent of Irish organisations are looking to update cyber insurance to mitigate risk and build resiliency.

However, an insurance policy alone will not provide adequate protection in an environment where cyber threats are flourishing.

Proper cyber resilience is based on actionable, practical plans, underpinned by people, processes and technology solutions that support business continuity in the event of a breach.

It’s a stark finding from PwC’s survey that just 28% of Irish organisations have implemented robust cyber resilience actions, well behind their global counterparts at 33%.

In addition to this, less than one in 10 (8%) of Irish organisations invest significantly more on proactive cybersecurity measures than reactive measures, lagging well behind their global counterparts at 24%.

This raises the question: why spend money on being reactive after an incident, when you can invest in your cyber security and be proactive? You get more protection, at a reduced cost.

Key Takeaways:

  • Cyber insurance is no longer just about coverage – it’s about your proactive security posture.
  • Insurers are increasingly rewarding organisations that demonstrate strong cybersecurity frameworks.
  • A well-structured security wrap with DNA’s layered defence and 24/7 SOC team incident response can significantly reduce your premiums.
  • The process of completing insurance forms is a valuable exercise in identifying gaps and strengthening internal policies.
  • Testing is not an option; it’s an absolute must! DR Testing, Pen Testing all need to be done to make sure there’s no gaps

Advice for IT and Business Leaders

If you’re reviewing your cyber insurance this quarter, don’t just tick the boxes. Let’s use it as an opportunity to audit your security stack, align with best practices, and negotiate better terms. The stronger your defences, the better your coverage and the lower your costs.

News

DNA IT Showcases Award-Winning Managed Security Services at Cyber Security Summit

Posted on by Deirdre Cashion
02
Oct

Dublin, 2nd October 2025 – DNA IT Solutions is pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting and showcasing our award-winning Managed Security Services at the Business Post Cyber Security Summit 2025, taking place today at Croke Park, Dublin.

The summit brings together leaders from government, industry and cybersecurity to examine how organisations can respond to growing threats, tightening regulation and the rapid rise of AI.

With the introduction of major EU legislation such as NIS2, the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), the Cyber Resilience Act and the AI Act, the event will explore what these developments mean in practice, and how businesses can move beyond compliance to build lasting resilience.

What to expect at our stand

Our team will be on hand throughout the day to provide insights on building a rock-solid cyber security strategy:

  • Vulnerability and pen testing
  • Human risk management
  • Zero Trust
  • Managed Detection and Response
  • Threat Hunting and Dark Web Monitoring
  • Office365 Security Monitoring
  • Compliance Management

Why attend

The Business Post Cyber Security Summit provides a valuable opportunity to:

  • Hear from industry thought leaders and cybersecurity experts
  • Understand the practical implications of new EU regulations
  • Learn from sector-specific case studies
  • Network with peers facing similar challenges
  • Explore solutions that address real security gaps

As Ireland’s regulatory environment becomes more demanding and threat actors grow more sophisticated, organisations across all sectors need partners who understand both the technical and compliance landscapes.

Visit us at the Summit

If you’re attending the Business Post Cyber Security Summit, we’d welcome the opportunity to discuss your organisation’s security challenges and how DNA IT Solutions can support your compliance and resilience objectives.

If you can’t make the Summit today and would still welcome a conversation with one of our team please let us know here.

 

Case Studies

Enhancing IT Resilience: How DNA IT Solutions Transformed Flogas’ IT Infrastructure for Reliability and Efficiency

Posted on by wpdc
Flo Gas
08
May

Flogas Ireland, part of the DCC group, is a top energy provider offering LPG, Natural Gas, and Electricity across Ireland. They serve a wide range of industries, from homes and businesses to agriculture and automotive, all while focusing on delivering reliable energy solutions that meet their customers’ changing needs.

Flogas was among the organizations still leveraging the robust IBM iSeries technology, which has long been known for its reliability and scalability.

The IBM iSeries, originally known as the AS/400 and now part of the IBM Power Systems range, is a midrange mainframe technology designed for business applications. It combines robust hardware with the IBM i operating system to deliver a stable, scalable, and secure environment for a wide range of enterprise computing needs.

For over two decades Flogas has been using the IBM iSeries platform to run a critical financial application. The backups were saved to tape and securely sent to a local IBM tape storage facility for safekeeping. While tape backups have historically been a common method for the IBM iSeries (AS/400) due to their reliability and long-term storage capabilities, Flogas recognized the need to move to more modern disk-based backup solution.

Historically, tape backup was the only disaster recovery solution available for IBM iSeries systems, which posed challenges in terms of speed, reliability, and scalability. Recognizing these limitations, DNA IT Solutions leveraged the expertise of its in-house consultants and the strength of its IBM partner ecosystem to modernize Flogas’ disaster recovery strategy. By implementing a Cloud-based solution, DNA IT was able to provide a reliable, scalable, and efficient backup and disaster recovery process, ensuring operational continuity and addressing the constraints of the legacy system.

Recognizing the need for a more reliable and efficient solution, Debbie Monerawela, system administrator of the iSeries system in Flogas, proactively reached out to DNA IT Solutions after hearing about our expertise through a radio advertisement. This marked the beginning of a partnership aimed at modernizing Flogas’ IT infrastructure and ensuring the resilience and continuity of their operations.

Project Description

As already mentioned, many IT professionals were uncertain if solutions existed to provide Cloud backup for their legacy IBM iSeries server, running version 7.1 of the OS — an older, unsupported version of the OS.

As one of the leading IBM partners in Ireland, DNA IT Solutions stepped in with confidence and expertise, committing to explore and implement a tailored solution to meet Flogas’ needs. This partnership exemplifies DNA’s dedication to tackling complex IT challenges and delivering innovative results.

Collaborating with IBM, DNA IT Solutions developed and implemented a Cloud backup solution for Flogas, securely transferring their backups to the Cloud.

To ensure reliability, DNA’s team provides daily reports detailing the status of the backups, promptly addressing any issues that arise. Additionally, regular disaster recovery tests are conducted in partnership with Flogas to validate the integrity of the backups and confirm that the data performs as expected, providing peace of mind and operational continuity.

With the expertise of DNA IT Solutions and the support of our trusted IBM partner, a comprehensive backup solution was implemented using IBM’s robust Cloud ecosystem. This collaboration allowed us to securely backup Flogas’ data and create a virtual machine running a mirrored cope of their application, specifically designed for disaster recovery scenarios.

What sets this solution apart is the unique expertise of DNA’s IBM partner, who possessed the specialized knowledge required to work with such an outdated version of the IBM iSeries system. This capability ensured Flogas’ critical finance application was safeguarded and recoverable, providing unparalleled reliability and peace of mind.

Outcome

Through collaboration with our IBM partner, DNA IT Solutions successfully implemented a modern Cloud backup solution for Flogas, addressing the challenges of Floga’s legacy IBM iSeries system. The solution has provided Flogas with reliable daily backups, comprehensive reporting, and confidence in having a fully tested Cloud based DR solution.

Adrian Kelly, Sales and Marketing Director of DNA IT Solutions said “Legacy systems like the IBM iSeries were never originally designed for the Cloud, making it challenging to modernize backup and disaster recovery capabilities. However, thanks to the strength of our team of expert consultants and our trusted IBM partner ecosystem, we were able to deliver a robust, forward-looking solution for Flogas. This project highlights our ability to bridge the gap between traditional systems and modern IT demands, ensuring resilience and efficiency for our clients.”

Debbie Monerawela, system administrator of the iSeries system in Flogas said: “Modernizing our critical finance application was a key part of our digital transformation strategy, and DNA IT helped us bring it up to modern standards. The entire experience was seamless, with the project delivered on time and within budget. Thanks to their expertise, we’ve significantly lowered our business risk and now have complete peace of mind knowing our production system is fully supported in the Cloud with a modern backup and DR solution. It’s been a pleasure working with DNA IT Solutions.”