Safe4 Moves All Customer Data to the UK

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Moving to the UK

You will have seen the announcement by Ben that we have moved the hosting of the Safe4 system from servers based in the US to the UK, where the majority of our current customers are based.

This means that all your files and data are now stored in the UK. This can, in most cases, make it much easier for you to comply with Data Protection requirements.

Background

Like a lot of internet services, Safe4 is run in the “cloud”, which provides you as customers with fast connectivity and gives us, as a service provider, flexibility, resilience and much easier growth without the headaches of buying, installing and maintaining a lot of hardware.

When we started Safe4, almost 2 years ago, we considered a number of options when we selected our cloud provider including capability and location in the decision. We eventually selected Rackspace, despite at the time their not having a UK offering on the basis of their very comprehensive service, fast connectivity, security and their outstanding support. We knew in making this decision that Rackspace were developing a UK based service and that we would move when the need arose.

The “need” became much more important during 2011 as we grew and new customers have asked, increasingly, for their data to be based in the UK. So we have taken advantage of the availability of cloud infrastructure in the UK to “move house.”

A lot of planning is needed in order to achieve the move with as little disruption to our customers as possible. In the end the site was unavailable for a little less than 25 minutes overnight one day last week – the real test is whether you actually noticed?

Making the move

It is an honour that you trust us with your business data, and it is something we take very seriously indeed – it is not acceptable for us if there is any risk of missing data!

Therefore one of the key challenges we had to solve was how we moved all of the files that have been uploaded to the system and know beyond any doubt that every file had transferred successfully to its new home. It was therefore not enough to simply “copy” the files – the real challenge was to establish whether we had successfully moved ALL of the files that the system stores.

In the end the only way we could satisfy ourselves that the move of the files was successful was to write a dedicated tool that moved the files one at a time, and then validated that the file had been successfully moved. The final run of the tool took over 3 days to move every file. The tool was very successful making it easy for us to see the progress of the move and to satisfy ourselves that the move was successful.

Designing in scale

We took advantage of the planned move to redesign how we implement the infrastructure that runs the system, to allow us to grow more easily in the future and to build in more resilience into the service. We have also changed some of the configuration of the application servers to further improve the security of your information.

We believe that our new infrastructure is better placed to grow as the needs of our customers increase and the Safe4 business continues to grow at the rate it has over the last year.

What’s next?

We have some major development activity planned for this year, beginning with an update to the service that will provide Safe4 with the ability to track multiple versions of the files on the system.  Look out for this update in the next couple of weeks.

Enhanced security of document delivery with Safe4 version 3.5

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At Safe4 we are constantly seeking ways to improve the security and quality of the experience of using our document delivery and storage service.

One of the important changes we are making relates to the way in which email notifications are delivered when new documents are uploaded to the service, or when a user wishes to send a message regarding a document already stored in the system.

Remember that we never send documents as email attachments.  This is inherently insecure, and can potentially lead to regulatory and compliance problems.  However, we use emails for notification of new file uploads or messages relating to already-stored documents.

Some important improvements have been made to the email notification process:

  • Email notifications no longer carry hyperlinks to the documents stored within Safe4, but by clicking on a new link in the message, the user will be directed to a login page.  After login and authentication, the user will be presented with a new Notifications page.  This will carry live links to the files in question, and will also provide links to the folder or subfolder where the files are held.
  • An email link to the originator of the message, should the user wish to respond.
  • A Notifications Summary page will also be available, with a record of all of the Notifications that the user has received.

Security of the system has been enhanced, with a new facility for entering a PIN code.  If the user or their provider has chosen to use a PIN, this will be entered using an on-screen keypad to select the numbers.  This removes the possibility of keyboard loggers being used to capture user authentication data.

The invitation process for new users has also changed, and upon receiving an invitation the invited user will be offered a clear choice between using their existing account, and creating a new account. For users that have access to more than one Safe4 vault or provider account, this will simplify the process and speed up user registration.

Version 3.0 of Safe4 streamlines secure document delivery platform

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The Safe4service is undergoing constant improvement, and we have now completed some significant changes that are being made available in a specific new release, Safe4 version 3.0.  Many of these will give the service provider greater control over how the system is used by their clients, and there are a number of helpful user features that will improve the experience of using Safe4.  The latest Safe4 Administration Manual can be accessed by clicking here.

Your clients’ users will receive a separate email directing them to a different Release Blog.  For your information, this can be accessed by clicking here.

The key changes to the system are:

  • The ability to place a time limitation on a client’s vault.  This is primarily to support the new Safe4 concept of Instant Document Delivery, but it is applicable to many situations in which a provider may wish to withdraw a vault from client access after a set time period.
  • Enhanced permission control is available on some of the standard sections of the Safe4 folder structure, including the ability to manage access to the existing My Folder Tree and Common Folders.
  • A number of field labels for the definition of client vaults are now configurable by the provider.
  • Additional controls have been added to the way in which permission groups are set up.
  • Extended controls have been added to the process of sending email notifications when new files are added to a client’s vault.  Service providers can now choose to override a user’s preference not to receive emails, if they deem it essential for efficient communications.
  • The client user interface has been simplified to make it easier for providers to engage with clients.

Client users of the system also see improvements

  • The upload process for adding new documents to the system has been improved, with changes to the way in which the actions are carried out.
  • User feedback during file upload has been improved, with a percentage counter and enhanced status bar.
  • It is now possible for Safe4 vaults to be time-limited under certain circumstances.  Your service provider will inform you if this applies to your use of Safe4.
  • Service providers can now choose to override a user’s preference not to receive emails, if they deem it essential for efficient communications.

Safe4 launches version 2 of their unique secure document delivery solution

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Safe4 are very excited to announce the immediate availability of Version 2 of their unique solution to support professionals communicating documents to their clients with complete security.

There have been some new developments to the Safe4 Secure Vault service, with specific enhancements to the administration of the system.  It is now possible for Safe4 provider users to exercise greater control over the way in which both your own users and your clients’ users are managed.  These are described in detail in the latest Safe4 Administration Manual, which can be accessed by clicking here.

Your clients’ users will receive a separate email directing them to a different Release Blog.  For your information, this can be accessed by clicking here.

The key changes to the system for providers are:

  • Incorporation of a Personal Identification Number (PIN) into the user login process. This provides an extra level of security and is optional. It is applied by the provider system administrator on a client-by-client basis.
  • Changes to the way in which Safe4 groups are managed.  More detailed definition of user capabilities has been provided, so that users can be granted more specific access rights and restrictions.
  • The ability to assign groups to provider users as well as client users.
  • Enhanced control over users.  Certain administration rights can now be added to each provider user’s profile, allowing some aspects of system administration to be delegated.
  • The ability for provider users to receive email notification when new files are added to a Safe4 vault, whether by a provider or client user.
  • The ability for provider users to opt out of the receipt of email notifications for new files.

Client users will also see some substantial benefits from new features that make it easier for them to access documents.

  • Your Safe4 provider may now require the use of a Personal Identification Number (PIN) which will need to be used when you login to the system. This is to add extra security to the Vault.
  • The section of the Safe4 File and Folders page that shows the list of files contained within a folder has changed.  You now have the ability to select files for specific actions, dependent upon the rights of access you have been granted.
  • Some of the functions on the Safe4 screen displaying the files contained within a folder have changed, and some buttons have been repositioned.

Accountants making progress with Safe4

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Getting critical documents to clients can be time-consuming and costly.  Especially when the client is a Trust, with Trustees that work in different environments and don’t have access to common IT systems and resources.  Correct, secure storage of documents is very much dependent on how well organised each of the Trustees is.  And, of course, sharing documents between Trustees can be a real challenge.

Manningtons, Chartered Accountants in Heathfield, East Sussex, have come up with the answer.  They have started to use Safe4 on behalf of the Heathfield and Waldron Millennium Green Trust, and are now able to deliver documents instantly to all members of the Trust by simply placing a document into the web-based Safe4 vault.  This gives immediate access to all of the Trustees, and informs them by email that a new document has been delivered.  Once in the vault, documents can be moved between folders to indicate whether they are Work in Progress, Approved, or Archived, and accessed at any time by members after entering a secure login and password.

Alan Staples, senior partner at Manningtons, is one of the Trustees, and is seeing the opportunity to greatly improve the way the Trust manages its documents.  The Millennium Green Trust is one of a number of clients who are now using the Safe4 service through Manningtons.  Saving money and making the communication process faster and easier – that sounds like a great way forward.

Safe4 Launches in Leeds

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Today sees the official Safe4’s national launch of an exciting new service designed to help professional practitioners and other businesses to get critical documents direct to their clients. Documents are then retained in a secure online vault to which both business and client have access from anywhere at any time.

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, accompanied by the Lady Mayoress, will speak at the launch in the presence of the Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire. The event takes place at the historic Club LS1 in the heart of the city which is the UK’s leading centre for financial and professional services outside London.

Howard Kew, CEO of Financial Leeds, says “Innovative companies such as Safe4 bring additional impetus to the role of Leeds and the city region as a centre of business excellence, emphasising the importance of the region to the greater national economy.”  He continues “We welcome Safe4 to the Leeds business environment and are sure that their unique solution to the problems of managing critical documents in the digital age will be of interest to the many financial and professional service providers established in the region.”

Keith Madeley appointed Safe-4 Ambassador

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Safe-4 have appointed Keith Madeley the prominent and highly respected business leader in the Yorkshire and Humberside region, as the Safe-4 Ambassador for the Yorkshire region. He will champion the use of secure online document delivery solutions for lawyers, accountants many different types of business in the region.

Keith  added “I am delighted to accept the post of Ambassador for the Safe4 business initiative because it reinforces my desire to see Yorkshire businesses draw together to embrace new technology. In so doing it helps create a vibrant local environment and solid future for youngsters across the whole community. Safe4 is an important step on the way”