NCG
The service we’ve had from Assured so far has been top notch. My team members have said the support we’re getting is second to none- Keith Moore, Head of Infrastructure at NCG
NCG is one of the UK’s leading education groups, delivering further and higher education through a nationwide network of seven colleges. The organization offers a wide range of programs for school leavers and adults, including A Levels, vocational training and degrees.
At the center of the organization is a shared services model managed by NCG’s central IT team, which ensures infrastructure, connectivity, and digital services operate seamlessly across all sites.
The Challenge
Prior to working with Assured, NCG relied on a legacy backup platform that no longer met the organization’s security and operational requirements, with internal audits identifying gaps in backup security. As cyber threats continue to evolve, NCG needed stronger protection against risks, such as ransomware and malware. The organization also recognized that user behavior remains one of the most significant cybersecurity risks, making resilience and fast recovery essential.
With a relatively small infrastructure team responsible for IT operations across multiple colleges, NCG needed a solution that could strengthen protection without adding unnecessary complexity.
Around the same time, members of NCG’s IT team attended Assured’s Save the Data cybersecurity event in Manchester. Keith Moore, Head of Infrastructure at NCG, commented: “Attending Assured’s Save the Data event was an eye opener for us. It made us realize how ineffective our existing backup system probably was and highlighted the scale of the cyber risks organizations are facing today.” It was during this event that NCG learned more about Rubrik’s capabilities and the value of modern backup strategies such as immutable and air-gapped backups.
The NCG team therefore began evaluating alternative backup platforms capable of delivering advanced capabilities, including immutable backups, cyber monitoring, and threat detection.
The Solution
Following a comprehensive evaluation process, NCG selected Rubrik as its backup platform and partnered with Softcat and Assured to implement the solution.
Working closely with NCG’s IT team, Softcat and Assured deployed a secure and scalable backup environment designed to protect critical systems. The platform provides immutable and air-gapped backups, ensuring backup data remains protected even if primary systems are compromised.
While NCG remains actively involved in the configuration and oversight of its backup environment, Softcat and Assured provide proactive monitoring and support. If any backup anomalies occur, the Softcat and Assured teams alert NCG immediately, enabling rapid investigation and resolution. This approach allows NCG to maintain control of its backups while benefiting from expert oversight and support, helping a small team manage enterprise-grade data protection more efficiently.
The Result
Since implementing Softcat and Assured’s solution, NCG has gained greater confidence in the security and reliability of its backup infrastructure. Immutable and air-gapped backups provide critical protection against ransomware attacks, while off-site archival storage ensures data remains safe even in worst-case scenarios.
Proactive monitoring from Softcat and Assured has also reduced the operational burden on NCG’s infrastructure team, allowing them to focus on other IT initiatives and projects.
Equally important is the peace of mind the solution provides. With secure backups running reliably in the background and expert support available when needed, the team can focus on maintaining the digital services that underpin the organization’s mission.
A Partnership with Softcat
Softcat is a leading UK IT solutions provider that helps organizations design, procure, and deploy technology that supports long-term digital transformation.
NCG has worked closely with Softcat for many years across a range of IT initiatives, including licensing, networking, and hardware procurement. When the organization began reviewing its backup infrastructure, Softcat played a key role in helping evaluate potential solutions and navigate procurement through education sector frameworks.
Through collaboration with Assured and Rubrik, Softcat helped NCG identify a solution that met both its technical requirements and purchasing constraints.
Visit the Softcat website for more information.