ShireSystem

Overview

ShireSystem is a CMMS/CAFM suite of Cloud applications and mobile web apps for managing and maintaining assets, plant, spares, buildings and facilities. ShireSystem comprises the core application and a number of additional modules, which customers can purchase individually. Additional interfaces are available for connection to external systems or devices via our API, and data can be exported using the BI Connector.

Application

ShireSystem is a web-based application and has the following architectural details:

• To ensure high-performance and availability, the application runs on multiple Microsoft web servers connecting to back-end database servers.
• The application utilises load balancing between multiple application servers, managed by market-leading load balancing hardware and software.
• The service is accessed through a secure browser interface and/or an iOS or Android mobile application.

Application security and user management

Customer data is segregated in separate logical databases that may reside on the same database server.

Users can authenticate to ShireSystem using a user name and password combination. Application password management enforces strong complexity rules, expiry and application lockout. If required, additional application security is available via two-factor authentication.

Additional application security is provided through role-based permissions. Using these role-based permissions, the ShireSystem application can be configured to allow or deny access to features and data in accordance with any business need.

Version and release management

Upgrades to ShireSystem are included in the Cloud Service. Upgrades are applied automatically by Elecosoft during out-of-hours maintenance windows. Maintenance windows are notified to customers, giving at least 30 days' prior notification wherever reasonably possible.

Data usage

ShireSystem Cloud Service is offered with a database size up to 3Gb (gigabyte). If the customer database size exceeds 3Gb, the customer may be charged, with effect from the next billing anniversary, the additional annual fee previously notified by Elecosoft to the customer.

Setup

Elecosoft implements each customer instance and segregated database. The customer is issued with a unique application URL via email to access the ShireSystem Cloud Service.

In the case of a BI Connector implementation, Elecosoft will work with the customer to ensure the correct set-up by providing details of the correct network and storage requirements as well as any necessary professional services-based consultancy. The customer will be responsible for providing network connectivity with sufficient bandwidth.

In the case of an API implementation, Elecosoft will provide the necessary documentation and unique keys to allow the customer to connect to, understand and use the API. The customer will be responsible for integration work unless a consultancy agreement with Elecosoft is in place. The customer will be responsible for any required network connectivity.

Availability

Elecosoft seeks to maintain a 99.9% uptime during core UK office hours - 8.30 am – 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays.

Data centres

All Elecosoft Cloud, hosted IT and data centre providers conform to ISO9001, ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus. Services are provided from data centres in the UK unless agreed otherwise with the customer.

Physical security

All data centres have highly restricted access and use the following security measures:

• Physical access: all areas of each data centre are monitored using CCTV and all access points are controlled.
• Visitor access: there is no public access to the data centres without prior knowledge and approval. Approved visitors are permitted at some data centres and will be required to present a government-issued picture ID upon entry. They are then escorted to the appropriate locations within the data centre by security personnel at all times.

Logical security

Elecosoft data centre providers apply anti-virus, anti-malware, anti-phishing and anti-ransomware protection by enforcing real-time scanning, enhanced rootkit detection, PUA detection, core system protection, malicious website, identity protection and local firewall protection. This is further complemented by the following security methods, as a minimum:

• Monitoring: all transactions/changes/access are logged 24 x 7 by remote monitoring and management software and enterprise network intrusion protection. Windows audit logs are enabled, and firewall logging is enabled for 30 days.
• Virus protection: all Elecosoft Cloud servers are protected by commercial advanced, industry-standard, anti-virus protection software.
• Ports: only specific ports are opened for data traffic.
• Server hardening: all servers are hardened in accordance with industry best practices. By running only the necessary services, Elecosoft reduces its exposure to operating system-level security issues.
• Server patching: security patches are applied bi-weekly and reasonable endeavours are made to deploy all Zero-Day security exploit/vulnerability updates announced by Microsoft security bulletins on all Elecosoft Cloud services.
• Application security: during the software development and quality assurance stages, the application undergoes security review and testing.

Data management

An essential part of the ShireSystem Cloud Service is the backing up of customer data, system configuration and the Cloud infrastructure required to deliver the service.

Backup and disaster recovery

Backups are managed as a service within the Azure Cloud. ShireSystem is a fully managed SQL Server database service that offers an enterprise end-to-end backup and disaster recovery solution.

Data retention and database restore

Recurrent database snapshots are taken and all transactions are recorded, allowing any point in time to be restored over the last 35 days. Additionally, databases are configured to be taken once a week and stored for 6 weeks, and a further backup is taken once a month and stored for 6 months.

Technical support

In the event of any fault or defect arising or occurring with regard to the software or the services, the customer must contact Elecosoft during business hours. Elecosoft will provide the customer with details of the relevant telephone numbers and electronic mail addresses which the customer must use in order to access the support service.

The customer shall, when requesting support or whenever Elecosoft is in the course of providing support, provide to Elecosoft in a timely fashion such assistance, co-operation and information as Elecosoft may reasonably request from time to time in order to enable it to provide support and in particular to diagnose any reported fault or defect.

Elecosoft shall use reasonable endeavours to resolve all support issues, and in particular to rectify any fault or defect in the software or the services or provide an effective work around solution, whether permanent or temporary, as soon as reasonably practicable.

Maintenance

Elecosoft shall use reasonable endeavours to avoid unscheduled downtime for software maintenance. During maintenance periods, Elecosoft may, at its discretion, upgrade versions, install error corrections and apply patches to the hosted systems.

Elecosoft shall maintain technical support on the two most current releases of the software.

Elecosoft shall only provide maintenance services outside business hours in the event of any fault or defect arising with regard to the software or to the services which is critical to the customer’s business.

Access to ShireSystem is achieved using the latest version of an industry standard web browser and/or iOS or Android mobile applications.

Elecosoft recommends the use of Google Chrome; Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox are also supported.

To ensure best application performance and responsiveness, Elecosoft recommends a minimum download speed of 10 Mbps (Megabits per second) and a minimum upload speed of 5 Mbps.

Overview

ShireSystem utilises Microsoft Web Server technology that can be deployed over the internet, across your work network or, if required, on a standalone PC for single user or a small office implementation.

ShireSystem does not require access to the internet, enabling ShireSystem to be deployed inside a secure network without access to any external sites or services.

User authentication

Users can authenticate to ShireSystem using a user name and password combination. Application password management enforces strong complexity rules, expiry and application lockout. If required, additional application security is available via two-factor authentication.

Additional application security is provided through role-based permissions. Using these role-based permissions, the ShireSystem application can be configured to allow or deny access to features and data in accordance with any business need.

Access to ShireSystem is achieved using the latest version of an industry standard web browser and/or iOS or Android mobile applications.

Elecosoft recommends the use of Google Chrome; Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox are also supported.

To ensure best application performance and responsiveness, Elecosoft recommends a minimum download speed of 10 Mbps (Megabits per second) and a minimum upload speed of 5 Mbps.

The hardware and software that is required to run the ShireSystem CMMS/CAFM depends upon the number of concurrent users. The table below considers two deployment scenarios:

• Single ShireSystem deployment supporting between 3 and 20 concurrent users.
• Single ShireSystemdeployment supporting between 20 and 50 concurrent users.

	Between 3 and 20 concurrent users	Between 20 and 50 concurrent users
Operating system	Windows Server 2022 Windows Server 2019 Windows Server 2016	Windows Server 2022 Windows Server 2019 Windows Server 2016
Minimum hardware	Dual-core 2GHz x 64 processor 16 Gb RAM 100 Gb of free disk space after operating system installation 1 Gbps network card switches	Dual-core 2GHz x64 processor 32 Gb RAM 100 Gb of free disk space after operating system installation 1 Gbps network card switches
Database platform	Microsoft SQLServer Express edition	Microsoft SQLServer Standard edition version 2014 or later

Please contact Elecosoft UK Ltd Customer Support for details of recommended hardware for more than 50 concurrent users.

ShireSystem requires Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) and is not supported on any other web server platform. ShireSystem application server can be virtualised.

This information is intended as a reasonable guideline only. The actual hardware requirement necessary to attain satisfactory performance is influenced by many external factors, such as other applications running on the same infrastructure. The software may function on a server with a slightly lower specification than those recommended; however, it is likely that performance will be impaired. To get the best possible performance from your ShireSystem software, it is important to check that your ShireSystem application server meets the minimum requirements of the software. If you are unsure or have any questions, please contact the Elecosoft UK Ltd (ShireSystem) Customer Support team.

ShireSystem incorporates a direct integration with Microsoft Entra ID to enable users to sign in using Entra ID.

Please refer to Microsoft's documentation for further information on their intrinsic standards. In particular, Microsoft uses the following standards to enable sign-in using Entra ID:

• OAuth 2.0 - Used as an authorisation framework to obtain limited access to user data over HTTP.
• OpenID Connect (OIDC) - A layer on top of OAuth 2.0 used for user authentication and single sign-on (SSO), providing an identity layer that ensures the user's authentication and allows the retrieval of user profile information.

This configuration adheres to modern, industry-standard protocols, ensuring secure and reliable authentication, while allowing flexibility and ease of integration within the Microsoft identity platform.

The main user flow for users making use of the federated ID system can be summarised by the following flowchart: