Learn how Modern Networks (previously Response IT), developed a flexible IT solution that quickly met the complex needs of the Aerospace Technology Institute’s FlyZero project despite Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
The Client
The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is a government-backed organisation that creates the technology strategy for UK aerospace, building on the UK’s strengths and responding to the challenges faced by the UK civil aerospace sector. It provides a roadmap of the innovation necessary to keep the UK competitive in the global aerospace market and complements the broader strategy for the sector.
FlyZero is an Aerospace Technology Institute project aiming to realise zero-carbon emission commercial aviation by 2030.
The Challenge
Starting in early 2021, the ATI established FlyZero and began drawing in resources and expertise from leading industry partners to create a brand-new team for a 1-year project. The ambitious targets and timeframe for the project were a particular challenge for the delivery of the IT services.
Further, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, this new team could not be based in a single conventional office location but instead were distributed across the entire UK. The team needed to be equipped with the necessary tools, working environments and support to undertake the cutting-edge research called for by the project.
Due to the fast pace of change anticipated in the project lifespan, any IT solution also had to be adaptable to include any new software or hardware requirements that would emerge.
Modern Networks was selected to be the technology provider for this new team, based on our proven track record working with the Aerospace Technology Institute.
Modern Networks were instrumental in helping us deliver all the IT requirements in a timely manner. – Ann Dysiewicz, IT Manager, Aerospace Technology Institute.
Our Solution
Our solution to provide a fully flexible working approach revolved around the Microsoft 365 and Azure Cloud computing environments. From the inception, the design was intended to be flexible to accommodate the continuous change in project team members and research pathways that would emerge during the year.
Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, and Intune were delivered together as an integrated solution providing collaboration, document management and real-time communication tools to all members of the FlyZero team.
SharePoint libraries, along with Microsoft Flow automation, gave the team the workflow and document storage features needed to manage the information within the organisation – including controlled sharing with external parties, where appropriate.
Exchange and Teams provided the collaboration toolkit, including email, instant messaging, real-time meeting environments and document co-editing tools. Integrated into Teams, Microsoft Business Voice also provided a distributed telephony system for the entire FlyZero team.
The FlyZero team also required endpoint devices to access the Microsoft 365 environment as well as 3rd party specialist tools. Using Microsoft AzureAD to provide a solid authentication infrastructure, and Microsoft Intune to manage a suite of devices, including laptops, CAD (computer-aided design) workstations, mobiles, and tablets, the FlyZero team were able to have exactly the configurations they needed, exactly when they needed them.
Several complex and highly specialised software packages were required by the project team to support the research. Modern Networks worked with the vendors of these tools to provide them to the team members, using both endpoint delivery and Cloud-hosted Azure Compute resources as needed.
The Results
FlyZero delivered their findings on schedule at the end of Q1 2022.
During the first 3-months of the project, the environment scaled up from 0 to 90 team members and through the course of the project’s 12-month lifecycle, over 150 people from dozens of industry partner organisations worked within the FlyZero environment.
At the conclusion of the project, Alasdair Jamieson, FlyZero’s Project Delivery Manager, said:
“I just wanted to send a quick message to say a massive thanks for all your support through the FlyZero project. The FZ Team all commented on the effectiveness of the IT setup, and I know well that that doesn’t happen without considerable skill and effort on the part of those behind the screens/servers!
On a personal note, it’s been a pleasure to meet and work with you and wish you all the best for the future (which I assume will be a degree quieter without FlyZero, initially at least)!”
Ann Dysiewicz, IT Manager for the Aerospace Technology Institute, added:
“I have worked with the team for the past 8 years. In 2021, Modern Networks assisted with providing the IT environments, licenses, and provision of equipment to support the FlyZero Project. Modern Networks were involved from the start and contributed with ideas and solutions that evolved from a concept design of 20 externals using their own hardware, to the reality of over 100 externals using ATI hardware, working in multiple new tenancies with complex security infrastructures, software, and access requirements. The project required a rapid turnaround and Modern Networks was instrumental in helping us deliver all the IT requirements in a timely manner. I personally cannot thank them enough and would like to give a special mention to Tom, Wes, and Dan.”
In July 2021, Response IT joined the Modern Networks group of companies to expand its technical expertise, extend its coverage of London and the Southeast, and enhance all aspects of customer service.
