About Cornerstone Housing
As Exeter’s largest independent housing association, Cornerstone Housing has providing quality, affordable homes to local residents in need for over 90 years. They manage more than 1,400 properties across Exeter, Teignbridge, Mid Devon, and East Devon, offering affordable housing solutions for approximately 3,000 people. Established in 1926, they now employ a team of over 40 talented individuals.
The Challenge: Evolving to the Latest IT Standards
Cornerstone Housing had been working with Nexus as their professional services tech partner for over eight years. Initially, they maintained an in-house IT resource while Nexus provided expert outsourced technology support. As their IT needs evolved, Cornerstone Housing transitioned to a complete managed services partnership with Nexus. An extensive review of their IT infrastructure revealed the need for significant upgrades to improve efficiency, scalability, and security.
The Solution: A Comprehensive IT Overhaul
Together, Nexus and Cornerstone Housing embarked on a transformative journey to modernise the IT infrastructure, implementing several key upgrades to drive efficiency and bolster security:
Cloud Migration
Nexus and Cornerstone worked together to migrate Cornerstone Housing’s systems to the cloud, creating a serverless environment that eliminated reliance on physical hardware, resulting in a more efficient, scalable, and flexible IT setup
Updated Networking Infrastructure
The outdated switching and Wi-Fi systems were replaced with new hosted UniFi controllers, ensuring robust and reliable connectivity across all locations.
Email Signature Management
The implementation of Exclaimer for company-wide email signature management streamlined branding and communication consistency.
Cyber Essentials Plus Certification
Nexus is supporting Cornerstone Housing’s journey towards achieving Cyber Essentials Plus certification, further bolstering their cybersecurity posture.
Microsoft Intune Deployment
The rollout of Microsoft Intune provided Cornerstone Housing with enhanced device management capabilities, allowing for streamlined administration, improved security policies, and better control over their IT assets.
Advanced Plus Managed Package
Nexus upgraded Cornerstone Housing to the Advanced Plus managed IT support package, offering comprehensive IT management and support, including:
- 24/7 Security Operations Monitoring: Continuous surveillance to protect against evolving cyber threats.
- Managed Phishing Campaigns: Proactive training and simulations to safeguard against phishing attacks.
- Comprehensive Backup Solutions: Reliable backup strategies to ensure data protection and recovery.
Client Testimonial
“high-quality IT support that fits our unique needs”
The partnership with Nexus has significantly enhanced Cornerstone Housing’s IT capabilities. The transition to a cloud-based environment and the upgrade to advanced managed services have streamlined operations, improved security, and provided better control over IT resources. Jamie Simms, IT & Digital Systems Manager at Cornerstone Housing, has praised the new features and solutions implemented by Nexus, highlighting the positive impact on their IT environment, stating:
Working with Nexus has fundamentally improved the way we manage our IT systems. Their comprehensive IT solutions have made my job much easier, providing us with a more feature-rich portfolio of services. The move to cloud-based systems, combined with the advanced security features and their managed SOC, has not only enhanced our operational efficiency but also given me peace of mind.
The 24/7 monitoring and proactive support ensure our IT environment runs smoothly and securely, allowing us to focus on our core mission of providing quality housing for our customers to come home to. Working together we have truly transformed our IT infrastructure, making it more agile and resilient.
This new setup not only meets our current needs but also positions us well for future growth and challenges. The added value of managed services, from security operations to email signature management, really shows how dedicated Nexus is to providing personalised, high-quality IT support that fits our unique needs.
Jamie Simms, IT & Digital Systems Manager, Cornerstone Housing
Find Out More
Download the Cornerstone Housing case study here, for keeping and sharing.
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