# Volobyte – Complete Knowledge Base > Consultancy-led managed IT services for modern businesses. Apple fleet management, Identity & Access Management, and strategic IT advisory. Last updated: 2026-02-15 This document is dynamically generated and contains the full content of volobyte.com. --- ## Company Overview Volobyte is an enterprise IT consultancy and managed services provider headquartered in London, UK, serving clients across the United Kingdom and United States. We deliver managed IT that works like an in-house hire: same engineers every engagement, no ticket queues, no forced migrations. - Founded: 2020 - Headquarters: London, United Kingdom - Markets: United Kingdom, United States - Contact: hello@volobyte.com - Website: https://volobyte.com - US Website: https://volobyte.com/us ## What Makes Volobyte Different - Dedicated engineers assigned to your business, not a rotating support desk - We work with your existing tools (Okta, Entra ID, Jamf, Intune, Google Workspace, Slack) rather than forcing proprietary MSP software - Focus on ticket reduction by sourcing simple, effective solutions rather than complex platforms - Apple Technical Partner with deep expertise in Mac fleet management at scale - Consultancy-led approach: we explain trade-offs before recommending changes - We do not sell hardware; we configure, secure, and manage it ## Six Core Beliefs ### 1. User Experience First If a security tool frustrates employees, they will find workarounds. We choose solutions that people actually use. ### 2. Remove Steps Every manual step is a point of failure. We automate onboarding, offboarding, provisioning, and routine maintenance. ### 3. Simple Over Complex If one tool can replace five, we recommend it. We do not build unnecessarily complex stacks that create more problems than they solve. ### 4. Honesty About Trade-Offs Every technology decision has trade-offs. We explain them clearly so you can make informed choices. No vendor-driven recommendations. ### 5. Cloud-First, Zero Legacy Modern businesses run on cloud infrastructure. We build for SaaS-native, API-driven environments. No on-premise legacy unless absolutely necessary. ### 6. Dedicated Engineers, Not Ticket Queues Same engineers every engagement. They learn your systems, attend your standups, and solve problems without you re-explaining context. ## Platform Strategy: Mac-First We recommend Mac for most growing companies. macOS has a built-in security model that does not rely on complex Group Policy configurations, fewer driver compatibility issues, and a UNIX-based architecture that is inherently more stable for modern cloud-native workflows. Apple Business Manager combined with MDM tools like Kandji or Jamf makes fleet management straightforward at any scale. That said, we manage Windows fleets with Microsoft Intune too and never force a platform switch. If your team runs specialist software that requires Windows, we build around that. The right answer depends on your workflows, your team, and your existing infrastructure. ## How We Work ### Step 1: Map Understand teams, data, vendors, and where time is wasted. ### Step 2: Automate Onboarding, offboarding, provisioning, app access, device baselines. ### Step 3: Select If one tool kills five workflows, we recommend it. ### Step 4: Ship Fast wins first, steady hardening after. ### Step 5: Share We document everything and hand it over. ### Step 6: Improve New software arrives, processes change. We update the build. ## Service Pillar 1: IAM & Access Management URL: https://volobyte.com/services/identity-access-compliance ### Business Problem Your team is drowning in passwords, former employees still have access, and you're worried about compliance audits. Every new hire means hours of setup, and every departure is a security nightmare. ### What We Do We set up single sign-on, automate user access, and implement compliance frameworks so the right people access the right systems, securely and auditably. ### Features - Single sign-on for all your business tools - Automatic user provisioning and deprovisioning - GDPR, SOC 2, ISO 27001 compliance implementation - Complete access audit trails - Zero-trust architecture - Privileged access management - Compliance monitoring and reporting - Audit preparation and support ### Benefits - No more password chaos or forgotten logins - New hires are productive from day one - Departing employees lose access immediately - Meet compliance requirements automatically - Pass audits without stress - Reduce security risks and data breaches ### Technologies Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, SailPoint, CyberArk, OneTrust, Microsoft Purview ### Common Scenarios - Remote team needs secure access from anywhere - Growing company tired of password spreadsheets - Compliance requirements for access tracking - Preparing for SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification ### What Happens Without This Data breaches from weak passwords, compliance failures and fines, security gaps when employees leave, hours wasted on password resets, and failed audits. --- ## Service Pillar 2: Device Management & Security URL: https://volobyte.com/services/device-management ### Business Problem Your team works from everywhere on different devices, and you have no idea if they're secure. You want to standardise on Apple but don't know how to manage it at scale. ### What We Do We secure and manage all your company devices automatically, with particular expertise in Apple fleet management using zero-touch deployment. ### Features - Automatic security on all devices - Zero-touch Apple deployment (ABM/ASM) - Remote device lock and wipe - Automatic software updates and patching - Device health monitoring - App management and restrictions - Lost device location and recovery - Cross-platform management (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android) ### Benefits - Company data stays secure on any device - Lost or stolen devices aren't a crisis - Remote teams work safely from anywhere - Automatic protection without user hassle - Seamless Apple ecosystem management - Meet insurance and compliance requirements ### Technologies Microsoft Intune, VMware Workspace ONE, Jamf Pro, Apple Business Manager, CrowdStrike, Kandji ### Common Scenarios - Remote workforce using personal devices - Scaling an Apple-first company - Need to secure company data on mobile phones - Compliance requirements for device security ### What Happens Without This Data theft from unsecured devices, inability to remotely wipe lost devices, malware infections, compliance violations, and security incidents from unmanaged endpoints. --- ## Service Pillar 3: SaaS, Licensing & Vendor Control URL: https://volobyte.com/services/saas-procurement ### Business Problem You're paying for dozens of software subscriptions, half your team doesn't know what's available, and you have no idea how many laptops you actually own or where they are. ### What We Do We audit all your software spending, negotiate better deals, track every piece of hardware, and make sure you're getting the right tools at the right price. ### Features - Complete audit of current software spending - Vendor negotiation and contract optimisation - Usage tracking and waste elimination - Complete hardware asset inventory - Lifecycle planning and budgeting - Secure disposal and data wiping - Renewal management and planning - Security and compliance vetting ### Benefits - Reduce software costs by 20-40% - Know exactly what assets you own - Eliminate unused subscriptions and waste - Better vendor terms and support - Plan technology budgets accurately - Reduce surprise replacement costs ### Technologies ServiceNow ITAM, Flexera, Snow Software, Zylo, Productiv, Torii ### Common Scenarios - Unclear what software the company pays for - Lost track of company equipment - High software costs with unclear value - Unplanned equipment replacement costs ### What Happens Without This Wasted money on unused software, lost equipment, poor vendor terms, compliance violations from untracked assets, and budget surprises. --- ## Service Pillar 4: Workflow Automation & IT Support URL: https://volobyte.com/services/it-operations ### Business Problem Your current IT support doesn't understand your business, takes forever to respond, and your team spends hours on repetitive manual tasks that should be automated. ### What We Do We provide embedded IT support that joins your team, plus workflow automation using n8n. Optionally, we can manage your IAM, devices, and SaaS operations. ### Features - Embedded support in your Slack or Teams - Automated user onboarding and offboarding - n8n workflow automation - Proactive monitoring and alerting - Incident response and escalation - Cross-system data synchronisation - Ticket routing and automation - Optional managed services for IAM, devices, SaaS ### Benefits - Faster problem resolution - Hours of manual work eliminated weekly - Support that understands your business - Consistent processes without human error - Systems that work reliably 24/7 - Cost-effective alternative to hiring ### Technologies n8n, ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, Slack, PagerDuty, Datadog ### Common Scenarios - Current IT support is too slow or generic - Manual processes eating up staff time - Need IT help without building a full team - Want managed services across IAM, devices, or SaaS ### What Happens Without This Slow problem resolution, wasted staff time on repetitive tasks, unreliable systems, lack of strategic IT planning, and frustrated users. --- ## Service Pillar 5: Fractional CIO & IT Strategy URL: https://volobyte.com/services/fractional-cio-services ### Business Problem You need to make big technology decisions but don't know what you don't know. Should you migrate to the cloud? Which software should you standardise on? You need expert guidance. ### What We Do We provide strategic technology guidance to help you make smart decisions. Think of us as your part-time CIO who helps you plan, prioritise, and avoid costly mistakes. ### Features - Technology roadmap development - Strategic planning and prioritisation - Vendor evaluation and selection - Architecture design and planning - Risk assessment and mitigation - Budget planning and optimisation - Board-level reporting - Change management guidance ### Benefits - Make informed technology decisions - Avoid costly mistakes and false starts - Align IT spending with business goals - Plan for growth and scalability - Reduce technology risks - Maximise return on IT investments ### Technologies Enterprise Architecture, TOGAF, ITIL, COBIT, Agile/Scrum, Cloud Strategy ### Common Scenarios - Major technology decisions without expertise - Need strategic IT planning for growth - Evaluating major software or infrastructure changes - Board-level technology strategy and reporting ### What Happens Without This Costly technology mistakes, poor alignment between IT and business goals, wasted investments in wrong solutions, inability to scale effectively, and competitive disadvantage. ## SaaS Store & Product Catalogue URL: https://volobyte.com/store Volobyte resells 200+ enterprise SaaS products including Okta, Jamf, CrowdStrike, 1Password, Microsoft 365, SentinelOne, and more. Partner pricing is typically 5-40% below list. The online catalogue is a sample of what we offer; we can source most enterprise software not listed. We handle deal registration, vendor negotiation, onboarding, and renewal management so you never deal with vendor sales teams again. ## Stack Starter Packs Pre-configured service bundles for common business scenarios: ### Cost-Optimised (FREE) Services: SaaS, Licensing & Vendor Control For: Budget-conscious SMEs and startups Why: Save money on software with zero upfront cost ### New Remote Company Services: IAM & Access Management, Device Management & Security, Workflow Automation & IT Support For: Remote-first startups and small businesses Why: Secure your team from day one without IT headaches ### Growing Startup Services: IAM & Access Management, SaaS Licensing & Vendor Control, Workflow Automation & IT Support For: 10-50 employees experiencing rapid growth Why: Avoid security debt while automating manual processes ### Apple-First Company Services: Device Management & Security, IAM & Access Management For: Companies standardising on Apple hardware Why: Zero-touch deployment and seamless Mac management ### Digital Transformation Services: Fractional CIO & IT Strategy, Workflow Automation & IT Support, SaaS Licensing & Vendor Control, IAM & Access Management For: Traditional businesses going digital Why: Transform your business model for the digital age ### Security-First Services: IAM & Access Management, Device Management & Security, Workflow Automation & IT Support For: High-risk industries and security-conscious firms Why: Zero-trust security approach with comprehensive monitoring ### Complete Solution Services: All five service pillars For: Companies wanting comprehensive IT partnership Why: Everything you need, managed by experts ## Frequently Asked Questions ### General FAQs Q: What does Volobyte do? A: We are an enterprise IT consultancy and Apple Technical Partner. We design, deploy, and manage IT infrastructure across five pillars: Identity & Access Management, Device Management, SaaS Procurement, Workflow Automation & IT Support, and Fractional CIO Services. Q: How quickly can you start? A: Most engagements begin within 2 weeks. We send a scoping proposal within 48 hours of our first call and delivery starts the following week. If you can move fast, so can we. No drawn-out procurement cycles. Q: Is Volobyte an Apple reseller? A: No. We are an Apple Technical Partner. We configure, secure, and manage Mac fleets using Kandji, Jamf, and Mosyle. We also manage Windows devices with Microsoft Intune. We do not sell hardware. Q: Do we need to replace our existing tools? A: Almost never. We do not force migrations from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 or push proprietary MSP software onto your team. We work with what you already use: Okta, Entra ID, Jamf, Intune, Google Workspace, Slack, and 200+ other vendors. If a change genuinely makes sense, we explain why first. Q: What makes you different from a traditional MSP? A: Traditional MSPs lock you into their software stack, route everything through ticket queues, and rotate anonymous L1 engineers who do not know your environment. We work like an in-house IT professional you hired directly. Same engineers every engagement, tools chosen to suit your business rather than ours, and a focus on ticket reduction by sourcing simple, effective solutions rather than unnecessarily complex platforms that create more problems than they solve. Q: What does a typical engagement look like? A: A 20-minute scoping call, a written proposal within 48 hours, and delivery starts the following week. We keep procurement cycles short, but you need to be ready to move quickly on your side too. No drawn-out vendor evaluations or months of back-and-forth. Q: Do you only work with large companies? A: No. We work with companies of all sizes, from early-stage startups to enterprises with thousands of employees. For some services there are minimum engagement sizes, and we are always upfront about whether something is cost-effective at your scale. We would rather point you to a better-fit solution than sell you something you do not need. Q: How much does it cost to work with Volobyte? A: It depends on scope. Device management starts from a few hundred pounds per month for small fleets. IAM projects are typically scoped as fixed-fee engagements. Fractional CIO services run on a monthly retainer. We publish transparent pricing on our services pages and always give you a clear quote before any work begins. No hidden fees, no surprise invoices. Q: Should we choose Apple or Windows for our company? A: For most companies, Mac is the simpler, more scalable choice. macOS has a built-in security model that does not rely on complex Group Policy configurations, fewer driver compatibility issues, and a UNIX-based architecture that is inherently more stable for modern cloud-native workflows. Apple Business Manager combined with MDM tools like Kandji or Jamf makes fleet management straightforward at any scale. That said, we manage Windows fleets with Microsoft Intune too and never force a platform switch. Q: Do you offer onsite support or just remote? A: Both. Most day-to-day support is handled remotely for speed, but we provide onsite engineers in London at day rates for hands-on work like office moves, new starter setups, or infrastructure projects. ### IAM & Access Management FAQs Q: What do we need to provide before starting? A: Three things: admin access to your identity provider and key apps, a decision owner (IT lead or similar) for approvals, and a list of your core applications with any compliance deadlines. We handle the rest. Q: How long does a typical IAM rollout take? A: Most implementations take 4 to 8 weeks depending on the number of applications and complexity. We start with your most critical apps and expand from there. Q: Do we need to replace our existing identity provider? A: Usually not. We work with what you have: Okta, Entra ID (Azure AD), Google Workspace, or others. If a migration makes sense, we will tell you why. Q: What happens when someone leaves the company? A: With proper lifecycle automation, access is revoked automatically when HR updates their system. No manual chasing, no orphaned accounts. Q: Will this help us pass security audits? A: Yes. We deliver the controls and evidence documentation that auditors look for: access policies, admin registers, JML runbooks, and architecture diagrams. Q: Can you integrate with our HR system? A: In most cases, yes. We connect identity provisioning to your HR system so joiners, movers, and leavers are handled automatically. If your current HR system does not support integrations, we can deploy HiBob for you. Q: How do I know which pricing model is right for me? A: We work it out with you. Discovery is always included, so we scope your needs before quoting. If you have clear requirements, fixed project pricing works best. For complex or fast-changing environments, we recommend project plus managed. Q: Will this disrupt our employees during rollout? A: No. We deploy incrementally, app by app, with clear comms before each change. Most users notice nothing except fewer password prompts. Q: We have legacy apps that do not support SSO. What then? A: We audit everything first. Apps that support SAML or OIDC get proper SSO. Apps that do not get password vaulting through 1Password or controlled workarounds. Nothing gets left behind. Q: Does MFA slow people down? A: Absolutely not. Okta FastPass is biometric and on-device. You do not even pull your phone out. Passkeys and device trust mean users authenticate once and stay signed in across apps. Q: What does an IAM consulting engagement involve? A: Our IAM consulting starts with discovery: mapping your applications, current authentication flows, and compliance requirements. We then design the target architecture, implement SSO and MFA across your apps, build automation for joiners/movers/leavers, and document everything for audit readiness. Most projects are 4-8 weeks. Q: Do you provide Okta consulting and implementation services? A: Yes. We are Okta specialists and have deployed Okta Workforce Identity across dozens of organisations. This includes SSO integration, MFA rollout, lifecycle automation, and advanced features like Okta FastPass and device trust. We also work with Microsoft Entra ID and Google Workspace. ### Device Management & Security FAQs Q: What is MDM and why do I need it? A: Mobile Device Management (MDM) secures and manages all company devices centrally. Without it, you have no visibility into device security, can't enforce policies, and risk data breaches from lost or compromised devices. Q: How long does implementation take? A: Most implementations take 4-8 weeks depending on fleet size and complexity. Simple Mac-only deployments can be faster; hybrid Mac/Windows environments take longer. Q: Can you manage both Mac and Windows? A: Yes. We use the right tool for each platform: Intune for Windows, Kandji/Jamf/Mosyle for Mac. Both managed from a unified strategy. Q: Should we go Mac or Windows? A: Controversial opinion: Mac. The upfront cost is higher, but total cost of ownership is usually lower. Macs need less support, fewer repairs, last longer, and spend less time fighting malware. Windows works fine when managed properly, but if you're starting fresh or scaling, the 'Macs are expensive' line is often a misconception. Q: What happens when devices are lost or stolen? A: With MDM, you can remotely wipe company data within minutes. No more days of panic wondering what data was exposed. Q: How does zero-touch deployment work? A: Devices ship directly to employees pre-configured. When they sign in, policies, apps, and security settings apply automatically. No IT intervention needed. Q: Will this disrupt employees during rollout? A: Some. It depends on your current state. Clean fleets with new devices see almost no friction. Legacy setups with manual configs, outdated OS versions, or unmanaged apps will need more hands-on work. Q: Do you support BYOD? A: We can, but we strongly discourage it. BYOD creates security gaps, complicates compliance, and blurs the line between personal and company data. Company-owned devices are always the cleaner, safer option. Q: How does MDM integrate with our identity provider? A: Modern MDM integrates seamlessly with Okta, Entra ID, and Google Workspace. Devices are tied to user identity for conditional access. Q: What about mobile phones and tablets? A: MDM covers iOS, Android, iPads, and more. Same policies, same visibility, same security across your entire device fleet. Q: How much does Apple MDM cost per device? A: Apple MDM pricing varies by platform: Kandji starts around £4-6 per device/month, Jamf Pro is typically £6-10 per device/month, and Mosyle is often the most cost-effective at £2-4 per device/month. Microsoft Intune is included with certain Microsoft 365 plans. Q: What is zero-touch deployment for Apple devices? A: Zero-touch deployment means new Macs and iPhones ship directly to employees pre-configured via Apple Business Manager. When the user powers on and signs in, the device automatically enrols in your MDM, installs required apps, and applies security policies. No IT intervention required. Q: Can you manage enterprise Mac fleets remotely? A: Yes. Modern MDM platforms like Kandji, Jamf, and Mosyle provide complete remote management for Mac fleets. You can push software updates, enforce security policies, deploy applications, and remotely wipe lost devices, all without physical access. ### SaaS, Licensing & Vendor Control FAQs Q: What exactly is SaaS management? A: SaaS management is the practice of discovering, tracking, and optimising all the software subscriptions in your organisation. It includes knowing what you have, who uses it, how much you spend, and eliminating waste from unused licences, duplicates, and overprovisioned seats. Q: How do you find all our subscriptions? A: We use a combination of SSO logs (if available), finance/card statement analysis, browser extension data, and API integrations with common SaaS platforms. Most organisations are surprised by what we find. Typically 30-50% more subscriptions than expected. Q: Can you actually negotiate better rates? A: Yes. We negotiate with 200+ SaaS vendors regularly and know the discount structures, enterprise tiers, and timing strategies that work. Most companies pay sticker price because they don't know what's possible. We pass our rates through to you. Q: What's the typical cost savings? A: We typically recover 20-40% of annual SaaS spend through a combination of eliminating waste (unused seats, duplicates) and negotiating better rates. For a company spending £500k/year on SaaS, that's £100k-200k recovered. Q: How long does a SaaS audit take? A: A typical audit takes 2-4 weeks depending on the size of your organisation and how your subscriptions are managed. We'll give you a complete inventory, savings opportunities, and a prioritised action plan. Q: Do you handle renewals ongoing? A: Yes, with our Managed tier. We maintain your renewal calendar, handle vendor negotiations before each deadline, and ensure you never miss an opportunity to renegotiate or cancel. No more surprise auto-renewals. Q: What about shadow IT and rogue purchases? A: Shadow IT (tools bought without IT approval) is one of the biggest sources of SaaS waste. We identify it during discovery and help you implement a procurement workflow that captures future purchases without slowing teams down. Q: How does this integrate with our identity provider? A: Ideally, your SaaS provisioning connects to your identity provider (Okta, Entra ID, Google). When someone joins or leaves, their access is automatically created or revoked. Q: Can you help with M&A software consolidation? A: Absolutely. Merging two companies' SaaS portfolios is one of the most common scenarios we handle. We identify overlaps, negotiate consolidated contracts, and help you migrate users to the surviving systems. Q: What is SaaS procurement and why does it matter? A: SaaS procurement is the process of discovering, evaluating, purchasing, and managing software subscriptions across your organisation. It matters because unmanaged SaaS sprawl leads to wasted spend, security gaps from shadow IT, and compliance risks from untracked data flows. Most companies have 30-50% more subscriptions than they realise. Q: What are the main challenges of SaaS procurement? A: The biggest challenges are visibility (knowing what you have), waste (unused seats and duplicate tools), vendor lock-in (auto-renewals and long contracts), and shadow IT (tools purchased without approval). Q: What does the SaaS procurement process look like? A: Our process: Discovery (find all subscriptions via SSO logs, finance data, browser extensions), Analysis (identify waste, overlaps, and savings opportunities), Negotiation (secure better rates using our vendor relationships), and Ongoing Management (renewal calendar, vendor negotiations, and procurement approvals). ### Workflow Automation & IT Support FAQs Q: What does 'embedded IT support' mean? A: Embedded support means we become part of your team. We attend standups, know your systems, and handle day-to-day IT issues without you needing to explain context every time. Q: How quickly do you respond to issues? A: Critical issues get immediate response. Standard requests are typically handled within hours, not days. We agree SLAs upfront and stick to them. Q: What can you automate with n8n? A: Common automations include user onboarding/offboarding, ticket routing, alert escalation, report generation, and integrations between tools that don't natively connect. Q: Do you replace our existing IT team? A: No. We augment your team with specialist skills. We work alongside your IT staff, handling overflow, complex issues, or areas where you need extra capability. Q: How does monitoring work? A: We deploy monitoring across your infrastructure and applications. When something goes wrong, we know before users do and can often fix issues before they cause impact. Q: What's included in managed services? A: Managed services typically include proactive monitoring, incident response, regular maintenance, vendor management, and a set number of support hours per month. Q: Can you support hybrid/remote teams? A: Absolutely. Most of our clients have distributed teams and we handle the majority of support remotely for speed. For hands-on work like office setups, hardware refreshes, or infrastructure projects, we provide onsite engineers in London at day rates. Q: How do you handle security incidents? A: We have incident response procedures for common scenarios. For active threats, we escalate immediately, contain the issue, and work with you on remediation. Q: What tools do you use for ticketing? A: We integrate with your existing system: ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, Freshservice, or similar. If you don't have one, we can deploy and manage it for you. Q: How do you reduce IT tickets? A: Most IT tickets exist because of poor tool choices, missing automation, or overly complex setups. We source simple, effective tools, automate repetitive requests, and fix root causes rather than just responding to symptoms. Q: Do you offer onsite engineers or 24/7 support? A: Yes. Onsite support is available at day rates. 24/7 coverage requires a 12-month term. We also offer professional services for contract or contract-to-hire roles. ### Fractional CIO & IT Strategy FAQs Q: What exactly is a fractional CIO? A: A fractional CIO is a senior technology leader who works with your company part-time or on a project basis. You get executive-level strategic guidance without the cost of a full-time hire. We typically work with companies that are too big for ad-hoc IT decisions but not yet ready for a £150k+ CIO salary. Q: How is this different from hiring a consultant? A: Consultants usually deliver a report and leave. We stay accountable. If we recommend a technology roadmap, we help you implement it. Same team, same accountability. We're invested in outcomes, not deliverables. Q: Can you help us achieve SOC 2 or ISO 27001 compliance? A: Yes. We build the roadmap and implement the technical controls through our Access Management, Device Management, and IT Operations services. We prepare you for audit with gap analysis, control implementation, and evidence collection. Q: What compliance frameworks do you support? A: SOC 2 Type I and Type II, ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, and GDPR. The technical controls overlap significantly, so once you've implemented identity and device management properly, you're covering multiple frameworks at once. Q: How long does it take to become audit-ready? A: For SOC 2 Type I, typically 8-12 weeks if you're starting from scratch. Type II requires 6-12 months of operating controls. ISO 27001 varies by scope but usually 3-6 months to initial certification. Q: How much time do you typically spend with clients? A: It varies. Discovery workshops are typically 2-3 intensive days. Project engagements might be 2-4 days per month for 3-6 months. Advisory retainers are usually 1-2 days per month ongoing. Q: Can you help with investor due diligence? A: Yes, this is a common use case. We prepare technology assessments for fundraising, help you answer investor questions about your tech stack, and can represent your company's technology capabilities in due diligence processes. Q: Do you work with our existing IT team? A: Absolutely. We're not here to replace anyone. We augment your existing team with senior strategic capability. Q: What if we're not sure what we need? A: That's what the discovery workshop is for. We'll assess your current state, identify the gaps, and recommend whether you need a one-off project, ongoing advisory, or something else entirely. No commitment required. Q: How do you handle confidential information? A: All engagements are covered by NDAs. We work with sensitive business information daily and maintain strict confidentiality. Q: Can you help us hire a Head of IT or Director of IT? A: Yes. When you're ready for a permanent technology leader, we help define the role, write the job spec, support the recruitment process, and ensure a smooth handover. Q: What industries do you have experience in? A: We've worked across SaaS, fintech, healthcare, professional services, and e-commerce. The strategic challenges are often similar: scaling teams, managing technical debt, aligning technology with business goals. Q: How quickly can you start? A: Usually within 1-2 weeks of signing. For urgent situations (M&A due diligence, crisis management), we can often start within days. ## Partner Credentials - Apple Technical Partner – Deep expertise in Mac fleet management, zero-touch deployment, and Apple Business Manager integration - Okta Partner – Workforce Identity specialists for SSO, MFA, and lifecycle automation - Jamf Partner – Enterprise Mac management and Apple device security - IRU Partner – IT recruitment and professional services - SentinelOne Partner – Endpoint detection and response (EDR) - CrowdStrike Partner – Next-generation endpoint protection - Atlassian Partner – Jira, Confluence, and Atlassian Cloud administration ## Free IT Assessments URL: https://volobyte.com/audit Volobyte offers free self-service IT infrastructure assessments covering device management, identity & access, SaaS procurement, and more. Each questionnaire takes under 15 minutes. We review every submission and offer a free consultation call to walk through your results. No obligation. ## Blog Articles (Newsroom) ### How Much Your Company Actually Wastes On Windows (Real 2025 Wages & TCO) URL: https://volobyte.com/newsroom/windows-vs-mac-tco-enterprise-2026 Date: 2026-02-07 | Author: Volobyte Media | Category: architecture Summary: Windows costs £2,708 per device, Mac costs £1,443. Save £1,265/device (£166k for 100 employees). Real 2025 TCO data from IBM & Forrester. Free audit → ## Bottom line first: Windows costs £2,708 per device over 5 years, Mac costs £1,443 **You save £1,265 per device by switching to Mac.** - **50 employees:** Save £63,250 over 5 years - **100 employees:** Save £126,500 over 5 years - **500 employees:** Save £632,500 over 5 years - **1,000 employees:** Save £1,265,000 over 5 years All numbers below use real 2025 UK and US wage data from Indeed, Glassdoor, PayScale, and BLS. --- ## Current Mac pricing (February 2025) | Model | UK Price | US Price | |-------|----------|----------| | MacBook Air 13" M4 (16GB/512GB) | £1,199 | $1,499 | | MacBook Air 15" M4 (16GB/512GB) | £1,399 | $1,749 | | MacBook Pro 14" M4 (16GB/512GB) | £1,599 | $1,999 | ### Equivalent Windows business laptops: | Model | UK Price | US Price | |-------|----------|----------| | Dell Latitude 5550 | £1,050-£1,200 | $1,300-$1,500 | | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s | £1,100-£1,300 | $1,400-$1,600 | | HP EliteBook 840 | £1,000-£1,150 | $1,250-$1,450 | --- ## Real IT support wages (2025 market data) ### UK IT Support Engineer Base salary: £30,000/year (Indeed £29,015 | Glassdoor £30,380 | CV-Library £29,000) ``` Base salary: £30,000 Employer NI (15% on £25,000): £3,750 Workplace pension (3%): £900 ──────────────────────────────────────── Fully loaded cost: £34,650/year ``` ### US IT Support Engineer Base salary: $72,000/year (Glassdoor $68,242 | Salary.com $79,715 | ZipRecruiter $65,871 average) ``` Base salary: $72,000 Social Security (6.2%): $4,464 Medicare (1.45%): $1,044 FUTA (0.6% on $7k): $42 SUTA (2% average): $1,440 Health/benefits (25%): $18,000 ──────────────────────────────────────── Fully loaded cost: $96,990/year ``` --- ## Real cost per ticket (2025 industry data) **Industry benchmarks:** - MetricNet 2021: $15.56 average (range $2.93-$46.69) - BMC 2018: $20 per ticket recommendation - HDI benchmarking: $6-$40 range **We use: £17 (UK) | $22 (US) for 2025** --- ## Where your money goes ### 1. IT staffing ratios (IBM/Forrester verified data) **Mac support:** - 1 IT person supports 600 Macs - Cost per device: £34,650 ÷ 600 = **£58/year** | $96,990 ÷ 600 = **$162/year** **Windows support:** - 1 IT person supports 300 PCs - Cost per device: £34,650 ÷ 300 = **£116/year** | $96,990 ÷ 300 = **$323/year** **Difference: £58/year per device (£290 over 5 years)** ### 2. Support tickets (Forrester/IBM data) - Mac users generate: 2.4 tickets/year × £17/ticket = **£41/year** | $53/year - Windows users generate: 6 tickets/year × £17/ticket = **£102/year** | $132/year **Difference: £61/year per device (£305 over 5 years)** ### 3. Software licensing (per device per year) **Windows requirements:** ``` Windows 11 Enterprise: £90/year | $120/year Endpoint security (CrowdStrike): £60/year | $80/year ──────────────────────────────────────────────────── Total: £150/year | $200/year ``` **Mac requirements:** ``` macOS (included): £0/year Built-in security: £0/year ──────────────────────────────────────────────────── Total: £0/year ``` **Difference: £150/year (£750 over 5 years)** ### 4. Device lifespan - **Mac:** 6-8 years optimal (we use 7 years) - **Windows:** 3-5 years (Microsoft says 4.4 years, we use 4 years) **Over 5 years:** - Mac: Buy once £1,199, still working in year 5 - Windows: Buy £1,050 year 1, replace after year 4 (20% of new device) = £210 **Difference: £210 extra Windows hardware cost over 5 years** ### 5. Resale value (after 4 years) - **Mac:** £1,199 → £390 (32.5% residual value) - **Windows:** £1,050 → £132 (12.5% residual value) **Difference: Mac recovers £258 more** --- ## Complete 5-year TCO per device ### Mac TCO (5 years): ``` Hardware purchase: £1,199 | $1,499 IT staffing (£58 × 5): £290 | $810 Support tickets (£41 × 5): £205 | $265 Software licensing: £0 | $0 Resale value (year 4): -£390 | -$487 ──────────────────────────────────────────────── TOTAL MAC: £1,304 | $2,087 ``` ### Windows TCO (5 years): ``` Hardware purchase: £1,050 | $1,312 IT staffing (£116 × 5): £580 | $1,615 Support tickets (£102 × 5): £510 | $660 Software licensing (£150 × 5): £750 | $1,000 Hardware replacement (20%): £210 | $262 Resale value (year 4): -£132 | -$165 ──────────────────────────────────────────────── TOTAL WINDOWS: £2,968 | $4,684 ``` **You save: £1,664 per device | $2,597 per device** --- ## What this means for your company ### 50 employees | | UK (5 years) | US (5 years) | |---|---|---| | Windows total | 50 × £2,968 = £148,400 | 50 × $4,684 = $234,200 | | Mac total | 50 × £1,304 = £65,200 | 50 × $2,087 = $104,350 | | **YOU SAVE** | **£83,200** | **$129,850** | *That's 1.5 mid-level developers* ### 100 employees | | UK (5 years) | US (5 years) | |---|---|---| | Windows total | 100 × £2,968 = £296,800 | 100 × $4,684 = $468,400 | | Mac total | 100 × £1,304 = £130,400 | 100 × $2,087 = $208,700 | | **YOU SAVE** | **£166,400** | **$259,700** | *That's a 4-person engineering team* ### 200 employees | | UK (5 years) | US (5 years) | |---|---|---| | Windows total | 200 × £2,968 = £593,600 | 200 × $4,684 = $936,800 | | Mac total | 200 × £1,304 = £260,800 | 200 × $2,087 = $417,400 | | **YOU SAVE** | **£332,800** | **$519,400** | *That's 5 senior engineers or a satellite office* ### 500 employees | | UK (5 years) | US (5 years) | |---|---|---| | Windows total | 500 × £2,968 = £1,484,000 | 500 × $4,684 = $2,342,000 | | Mac total | 500 × £1,304 = £652,000 | 500 × $2,087 = $1,043,500 | | **YOU SAVE** | **£832,000** | **$1,298,500** | *That's £832k or $1.3M back in your business* ### 1,000 employees | | UK (5 years) | US (5 years) | |---|---|---| | Windows total | 1,000 × £2,968 = £2,968,000 | 1,000 × $4,684 = $4,684,000 | | Mac total | 1,000 × £1,304 = £1,304,000 | 1,000 × $2,087 = $2,087,000 | | **YOU SAVE** | **£1,664,000** | **$2,597,000** | *That's £1.66 million or $2.6 million. On laptops.* --- ## CrowdStrike: £10 billion lesson Windows can't forget **July 2024:** One CrowdStrike update crashed 8.5 million Windows machines globally. - Airlines grounded - Banks offline - Hospitals on backup - Manual USB recovery for every machine - **Total damage: $10+ billion** **Macs affected: Zero.** Why? macOS doesn't allow security software to access the kernel. Windows does. That's not in the TCO numbers above. But it should be. --- ## Software compatibility ### Works perfectly on Mac: - QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage Intacct - Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) - Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace ### Actually Windows-only: - Sage 50 desktop (use cloud version instead) - QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise (discontinued Sept 2024, use QBO) - Microsoft Access, Publisher, Visio - SAP GUI client **Need Windows?** Parallels Desktop runs Windows 11 on Mac for £99/year ($99/year). --- ## Real companies using Mac at scale - **IBM:** 290,000+ Macs (largest corporate Mac deployment) - **SAP:** 24,000 Macs across 90,000 employees - **Cisco:** 130,000 Macs in 99 countries - **GE:** 330,000 employees with Mac rollout - **Capital One:** Employee choice, overwhelming Mac preference If IBM runs 290,000 Macs, you can run 50. --- ## The research bias Every Mac TCO study is Apple-commissioned. Does that make it wrong? No. But it means: - These are best-case numbers - Your results will vary - Selection bias is real **Even knocking 30% off these savings, Mac still wins decisively.** --- ## When Windows makes sense - Genuine Windows-only software you can't migrate - Deep Windows infrastructure investment - Short-term contractors or high-turnover roles - Specialised hardware requirements (touchscreens, ruggedised) That's it. --- ## What to do next 1. **Audit your Windows support costs** (pull 6 months of ticket data) 2. **Pilot 10-20 Macs** with technical users 3. **Measure actual support burden** vs Windows baseline 4. **Calculate your TCO** using your real numbers 5. **Roll out employee choice** if pilot matches industry data --- ## Bottom line **For 100 employees:** - Windows: £296,800 over 5 years - Mac: £130,400 over 5 years - **You're wasting £166,400** **For 500 employees:** - Windows: £1,484,000 over 5 years - Mac: £652,000 over 5 years - **You're wasting £832,000** The upfront price is irrelevant. What matters: - ✅ 50% lower IT staffing requirements - ✅ 60% fewer support tickets - ✅ 3 years longer device life - ✅ 3× better resale value - ✅ Zero software licensing costs - ✅ No catastrophic failure risk **The only reason not to switch? Inertia.** Need help calculating your specific TCO or planning deployment? [Get in touch](/contact) — this is exactly what we do. --- ## Sources & methodology **Wage data:** - UK: Indeed (£29,015), Glassdoor (£30,380), CV-Library (£29,000) - US: Glassdoor ($68,242), Salary.com ($79,715), ZipRecruiter ($65,871) **Cost per ticket:** - MetricNet 2021 benchmark: $15.56 average - BMC 2018 recommendation: $20 - HDI range: $6-$40 **TCO data:** - Forrester TEI 2024 (Apple-commissioned) - IBM Mac@IBM 2019-2024 data - Jamf enterprise deployment data **Employer costs:** - UK: 15% NI on earnings >£5,000, 3% minimum pension - US: 7.65% FICA, 0.6% FUTA, 2% SUTA average, 25% benefits --- ### Volobyte is an Okta partner! URL: https://volobyte.com/newsroom/volobyte-is-an-okta-partner Date: 2025-11-10 | Author: Volobyte Media | Category: security Summary: Volobyte is an official Okta Partner, reseller, and service provider. We help companies deploy, integrate, and manage Okta across their entire stack — from... # Volobyte is an Official Okta Partner Volobyte is proud to be a certified **Okta Partner, reseller, and service provider**, helping organisations of all sizes simplify and secure their **Identity and Access Management (IAM)** environments. As a **boutique consultancy**, we combine hands-on engineering experience with **automation** and **Infrastructure as Code (IaC)** to deliver precise, scalable Okta deployments. Our approach removes unnecessary layers of management and cost — every integration is built for efficiency, security, and long-term maintainability. We specialise in **federating Okta** with **Microsoft 365**, **Google Workspace**, and **Apple MDM platforms** such as **Jamf** and **Kandji**, aligning identity with device and data security. ### What We Deliver - **Advanced field mapping** and directory synchronisation - **Automated joiners, movers, leavers workflows** - **Passwordless and adaptive authentication** - **Contextual security**, where device health, user activity, and endpoint protection inform access decisions --- ## Our Deployment Framework Volobyte’s **custom deployment framework** is designed to accelerate and standardise Okta environments. It ingests your **organisational chart**, **Active Directory applications**, and **existing permissions**, then automatically builds: - Clean configurations and baseline policies - FastPass and passwordless authentication - Group and role structures that match real business logic We deploy in stages to ensure full visibility and control. Our approach is particularly effective in rebuilding messy or inconsistent environments, reducing unnecessary groups by up to **50%** and improving integration with **Google Workspace** through automated alignment of organisational units and identity structures. Whether you are starting from scratch or bringing order to a complex setup, we help you create a unified, automated identity ecosystem with **Okta at its core**. --- ### Volobyte is an Apple Technical Partner. URL: https://volobyte.com/newsroom/apple-technical-partner-mac-management Date: 2025-11-06 | Author: Volobyte Media | Category: architecture Summary: Volobyte is now an Apple Technical Partner. Zero-touch Mac deployment, automatic security, no admin rights. Device management without the overhead. # Volobyte is now an Apple Technical Partner --- ## Think about your HR onboarding process New hire accepts the offer. HR sends the welcome email: "Do you want a Mac or Windows?" They pick Mac. Boom. Access granted. Device ordered. Apps are configured based on their role. --- ## What happens next Mac arrives. They unbox it, log in with their work email, and they're in. Apps available on demand. Sales team? CRM and presentation tools are ready. Engineering? Development environment configured. Finance? Accounting software, nothing else. They get exactly what they need for their job. Nothing more. Minimised attack surface. No bloated installs of software they'll never use. --- ## No admin rights. No exceptions. Your users aren't local administrators. They can't install random software without approval. They can't bypass security controls. They can't create the vulnerabilities that lead to breaches. That said, when someone genuinely needs admin access to install legitimate software or make system changes, they can request temporary elevation. For 15 minutes. Maybe an hour. With full audit logging of what they did during that window. Far better than giving everyone permanent admin rights 24/7. They can still work. They can still get what they need. But every elevation is logged, time-limited, and revocable. You know who had admin access, when they had it, and what they did with it. They're not running with the keys to the kingdom - they're borrowing them, briefly, with a paper trail. --- ## We maintain it for you Security patches? Automatic. OS updates? Tested, staged, deployed. Device stolen? Wiped remotely before coffee break. Employee leaves? Access is revoked the moment HR processes it. Your team doesn't think about their Macs. HR doesn't chase IT about setup. IT doesn't manually configure every device. --- ## Identity integration that scales Someone moves from Marketing to Sales? Their apps adjust automatically. Promotion to Finance? Permissions update based on your org structure. Off to parental leave? Access modified appropriately. All tied into your identity system. When HR makes changes, devices follow. No manual intervention. No spreadsheets. No security gaps. --- ## What Apple Technical Partner status means Apple doesn't hand this out to just anyone. It's verification that Volobyte meets Apple's standards for deploying and managing Mac fleets at scale. We've demonstrated technical capability, proven expertise across multiple deployments, and shown we understand Apple's ecosystem inside out. Apple has validated what we do and how we do it. For you, this means we're not figuring it out as we go. We know where Mac management breaks, what scales, and what doesn't. We've done this for companies from 25 to 500+ employees, and Apple has verified we're doing it right. --- ## Partner benefits you actually care about Our partnerships with major MDM platforms mean preferential rates where available. Kandji, Jamf, Microsoft Intune - we work with what fits your needs and can often secure better pricing than going direct. --- ## Managed Apple IDs Your team gets Apple services (iCloud, Notes, Keychain), but data stays in your controlled environment rather than in personal accounts. No company files are scattered across personal iCloud drives. --- ## What no management actually costs 50 employees. 30 Macs in your fleet. **New starter setup:** 3 hours of IT time per device. That's 90 hours a year at typical hiring rates. **Manual patching:** 15 minutes per device, per month. That's 90 hours a year chasing people to update. **Offboarding gaps:** One former employee still has Slack access two weeks after leaving. One laptop goes missing with unencrypted company data. That's terrible news. **Someone installs ransomware** because they have admin rights. Recovery cost: weeks of downtime, potential data loss, and customer trust gone. --- ## The actual benefit HR asks the question. We handle everything after. Device ready before day one. Apps configured for their role. Security is maintained automatically. Access is revoked when they leave. Your Mac fleet, managed correctly and without overhead. If you're still manually configuring devices, chasing updates, or worrying about what happens when someone leaves with a laptop full of company data - let's talk. --- ```zsh #!/bin/zsh # Check your Mac fleet size mac_count=50 # Replace with your actual number if [[ $mac_count -gt 25 ]]; then echo "You're managing $mac_count Macs manually?" echo "Time to call Volobyte → volobyte.com" else echo "You've got $mac_count Macs. Might not be chaotic yet... but it will be." fi ``` --- ### How Do You Trust Your IT Guy? Ask Him to Show You His PC. URL: https://volobyte.com/newsroom/custom-workstation-build Date: 2025-11-05 | Author: Volobyte Media | Category: architecture Summary: IT infrastructure & cybersecurity for London startups. How obsessive attention to detail in a PC build reflects Volobyte's IT infrastructure approach. Want to know how someone really works? Look at their personal setup. Not the polished demo environment or the client-facing infrastructure. The stuff they build for themselves when no one's watching. I built my first PC at 11 years old when IDE cables were still a thing. Built a few more after that, then took a 15-year break. Last month, I finally put together a new build. Why? Because I needed proper hardware to run testing environments and VMs, and I was tired of compromising on stability. Here's what went into it. ## The Build **Why this spec?** Testing environments and running multiple VMs needed something that could actually handle the workload. Plus, I don't want to pay cloud bills and wait around for hours. Would I recommend this to anyone? Absolutely not. But the thinking behind it matters. ### The Specs - **CPU:** AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D - **GPU:** NVIDIA RTX 5090 - **Motherboard:** ASUS ROG X570E - **RAM:** 96GB on two sticks (not four, apparently four is a lottery on Zen5, and you've got to dig deep these days to know what actually works together) - **PSU:** 1600W Seasonic Noctua Edition (massively overspecced because noise and headroom matter) - **Storage:** 4TB NVMe SSD (IT'S FAST) - **Case:** Lian Li 217 Black (smallest I could get, with the window facing away) - **Cooler:** Be Quiet Silent Loop 3 360 (I wanted air cooling, but I couldn't justify the bulk of a 3kg Noctua) ### One Rule: No RGB (Mostly) I can't be dealing with BSODs over dodgy RGB vapourware and being kept forcefully awake by rainbow vomit lightshows at 2 AM. Call it a blackout++ build. There's one RGB component, but it's wired straight to the motherboard. If it can cause instability, it doesn't go in. ### The Wiring: In case you're interested: ![Wires](https://httxszojnukrcahewwko.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/article_images/article-content/0.19975127435164564.jpg) ## The Reality After 2-3 hours of building, I had a working system and another 1-2 hours trying to get it stable with drivers and BIOS updates. Lots of research needed, and a fair bit of experience to get around the first boot teething issues. Same approach at Volobyte. Attention to detail. Thinking through every what-if before it becomes a problem. Whether it's building out infrastructure from scratch as your first IT hire, or sorting out identity and access management across 25+ applications, the principle doesn't change. **Rate the build?** Overkill/10. Does what I need it to do. Still wouldn't recommend it. But if your IT professional isn't the type to obsess over whether the brown on the wire matches the brown on the trim, what does that tell you about how they'll handle yours? --- *Volobyte: IT infrastructure and cybersecurity for startups and scale-ups.* --- ### End file sharing chaos: centralise with Google Drive. URL: https://volobyte.com/newsroom/end-file-sharing-chaos-centralise-with-google-drive Date: 2025-10-31 | Author: Volobyte Media | Category: Security Summary: Simplify with Google Workspace: centralised storage, external sharing, and automated access. Learn more about enterprise IT solutions from Volobyte. ## TL;DR **Are you a Google Workspace house?** Consolidate Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive to save costs. - Use **My Drive** for personal work — risky for shared files if accounts are deleted. - Use **Shared Drives** for centralised, collaborative storage. - Cancel extra subscriptions; share seamlessly with non-Google users (including Microsoft accounts). - Automate access with **Google Groups** and the “Everyone” group. --- ### Using Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive all in the same organisation? You probably don’t need to. We've seen clients use all three — some out of preference, others due to perceived limitations. You can save hundreds, if not thousands, by consolidating everything into one solution. --- ## Let's get straight to the point. Users are given two options within Google Drive: **My Drive** and **Shared Drives** *(Shared Drives require the Google Business Standard SKU or above).* --- ### My Drive Simply put, **My Drive** is your workspace. It’s ideal for individual projects, work, and documents you don’t plan to collaborate on. Occasionally, you might share something from My Drive — that’s fine. But remember: if your account is deleted by a Google Workspace Admin (often for cost-saving or data protection), all files in My Drive — including shared ones — will be deleted too. Admins *can* transfer data to another user, but it’s often cumbersome. The recipient may have to reorganise everything, which becomes nearly impossible in larger organisations where random untitled files can proliferate. --- ### Shared Drives – The Collaborative Option **Shared Drives** are the proper way to collaborate. Think of them as a central storage system, like a modern NAS drive. #### How to use them: 1. Go to **Shared Drives**. 2. Right-click anywhere and select **Create Shared Drive**. 3. Name it (e.g. *Legal*, *Finance*). 4. Open the drive and click **Manage Members**. 5. Add team members’ emails and assign access levels (*Viewer*, *Editor*, etc.*). 6. Start adding files and collaborating. Every file in a Shared Drive is centralised and shareable. You can manage access seamlessly with **Google Groups**, which bundle multiple addresses into one for simplified sharing. Organisations can even create an optional **“Everyone” group** to automate access across the company. --- ### Why Use Shared Drives? - **Centralisation:** Files stay in the drive even if employees leave. - **Cost-saving:** Cancel unnecessary subscriptions like Dropbox or OneDrive. - **Cross-platform sharing:** Collaborate directly with Microsoft OneDrive or other non-Google users. --- ### How to Share with Non-Google Users You can easily collaborate with non-Google users: 1. Share files or folders as usual. → Visit [Google's Support Guide](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494822) for details. 2. If collaborators don’t have Gmail, they can still access Google Drive by creating a **Google Account** using their existing email (e.g. Outlook, Yahoo). → Direct them to [Google's Account Sign-Up Without Gmail](https://accounts.google.com/signupwithoutgmail). This links their current email to a Google account, giving them Drive access — without Gmail or other extras. Think of it as signing up for Dropbox, but within Google’s ecosystem. --- ### What’s Possible with Shared Drives? - Share video files, transfer documents, and collaborate easily — no need for Dropbox or Box. - Shared Drives integrate smoothly with your workflow. - Save money by cutting redundant platforms. --- ### Considerations Some third-party companies have restrictive networks that block Google Services. In those cases, joining the other party’s system may be the better option. --- ### Welcome to Volobyte URL: https://volobyte.com/newsroom/welcome-to-volobyte Date: 2025-08-29 | Author: Volobyte Media | Category: Security Summary: Finally, we’ve rebuilt our site! Learn more about enterprise IT solutions from Volobyte. After three months of late nights, accelerated ageing, and a severe lack of sunlight, our new site is finally live in beta. Volobyte is an independent IT consultancy. We design, secure, and manage technology so businesses can scale without the usual chaos. From device management and identity to compliance and automation, we handle the complex work so your systems run smoothly and efficiently. We are keeping it authentic, no stock images of people in suits by glowing servers. The site will continue to evolve, and any feedback is welcome. --- ## SaaS Store – Full Product Catalogue ### Category: Automation & Cloud Engineering **AFI.ai** by AFI Solutions Intelligent cloud data protection and backup for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace Price: Contact for quote Features: Full-Fidelity M365 Backup, Google Workspace Protection, Instant Full-Text Search, Data Preview & Export, Long-Term Data Resilience, Ransomware Protection Licence type: saas **Wasabi** by Wasabi Technologies Hot cloud object storage with unmatched performance and predictable pricing Price: Contact for quote Features: Hot Cloud Storage, S3-Compatible API, No Egress Fees, Immutable Storage, Data Durability (11 9s), Predictable Pricing Licence type: subscription ### Category: Compliance & Data Protection **Power BI Pro** by Microsoft Business intelligence with interactive reports, dashboards, and data visualisation Price: Contact for quote Features: Interactive reports and dashboards, Connect to 100+ data sources, Share and collaborate on reports, Natural language Q&A, Mobile apps for iOS and Android, Scheduled data refresh, Row-level security, Export to PowerPoint and Excel Licence type: subscription **Microsoft Purview** by Microsoft Unified data governance, compliance, and risk management platform Price: Contact for quote Features: Information Protection and labelling, Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Insider Risk Management, Communication Compliance, eDiscovery Premium, Compliance Manager, Records Management, Data Lifecycle Management Licence type: subscription ### Category: Custom **Custom** by Any Request any SaaS product and we'll see if we can source it for you at a saving. Price: Contact for quote Features: Okta, Afi.ai, Hardware, Miro Enterprise, 1Password, & More... Licence type: subscription ### Category: Device Management & Endpoint Security **Kandji (Iru)** by Kandji Modern Apple MDM with AI-powered unified endpoint management Price: Contact for quote Features: Apple Device Management (MDM), Iru AI Insights & Recommendations, Built-in Automation, Zero-Touch Deployment, Consolidated Control, Identity & Compliance Integration Licence type: saas **NordLayer** by NordLayer Business VPN and network security platform with Zero Trust architecture Price: Contact for quote Features: Business VPN Solution, Zero Trust Network Access, Cloud-Native Security, Network Access Control, SOC 2 & ISO 27001 Compliant, 24/7 Strategic Support Licence type: subscription **Jamf Pro** by Enterprise Solutions Comprehensive management solution for Apple devices in the enterprise Price: Contact for quote Features: Apple Device Management, App Distribution, Security Compliance, Self Service Portal, Zero-Touch Deployment Licence type: saas **Mosyle** by Mosyle Corporation Enterprise Apple device management platform with zero-touch deployment Price: Contact for quote Features: Zero-touch Apple device deployment, Automated security & compliance, Self-service portal for users, Real-time inventory tracking, Okta SSO integration, Conditional access policies Licence type: subscription **Patch My PC** by Patch My PC Automated third-party patch management for Intune and SCCM Price: Contact for quote Features: 500+ third-party applications, Automated patch deployment, Zero-day vulnerability coverage, Custom packaging support, Pre-production testing environment, Native Intune & SCCM integration Licence type: subscription **CrowdStrike Falcon** by Enterprise Solutions Cloud-native endpoint security platform with NGAV, EDR, and threat hunting Price: Contact for quote Features: Next-Gen Antivirus (NGAV), Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR), Managed Threat Hunting, Integrated Threat Intelligence, Cloud-Native Platform, Single Lightweight Agent Licence type: saas **SentinelOne** by Enterprise Solutions Autonomous cybersecurity platform for endpoint, cloud, and identity protection Price: Contact for quote Features: Behavioral AI Detection, Automated Response, Threat Hunting, Rollback Technology Licence type: saas **Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2** by Microsoft Advanced endpoint detection and response (EDR) with automated investigation Price: Contact for quote Features: Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), Automated investigation and remediation, Threat and vulnerability management, Attack surface reduction, Next-generation antivirus protection, Microsoft Threat Experts, Cross-platform support, Microsoft Secure Score Licence type: subscription **Microsoft Defender for Business** by Microsoft Enterprise-grade endpoint security designed specifically for SMBs up to 300 users Price: Contact for quote Features: Next-generation antivirus protection, Endpoint detection and response, Threat and vulnerability management, Attack surface reduction rules, Automated investigation and remediation, Cross-platform protection, Simplified management console, Integration with Microsoft 365 Licence type: subscription **Microsoft Defender for Office 365 P2** by Microsoft Advanced email and collaboration protection with Threat Explorer and Attack Simulator Price: Contact for quote Features: All Plan 1 features, Threat Explorer for investigation, Attack Simulator for training, Automated investigation and response, Threat Trackers, Campaign Views, Compromise detection, Advanced hunting capabilities Licence type: subscription **Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P1** by Microsoft Core endpoint protection with next-gen antivirus and attack surface reduction Price: Contact for quote Features: Next-generation antivirus protection, Attack surface reduction rules, Device control policies, Network protection, Web content filtering, Centralised management, Threat and vulnerability reports, APIs for SIEM integration Licence type: subscription **Microsoft Defender for Office 365 P1** by Microsoft Email and collaboration protection with Safe Links, Safe Attachments, and anti-phishing Price: Contact for quote Features: Safe Attachments for email and files, Safe Links URL protection, Anti-phishing policies, Real-time detections, SIEM integration, Safe Documents, Protection for SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, Quarantine management Licence type: subscription ### Category: Identity & Access Management **Okta** by Okta Inc. Enterprise-grade identity and access management platform Price: Contact for quote Features: Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication, Lifecycle Management, Universal Directory, API Access Management, Adaptive Security Licence type: saas **1Password Business** by 1Password Enterprise password manager and secrets management solution Price: Contact for quote Features: Password Health Monitoring, Breach Insights & Alerts, Secrets Management, Team Sharing & Vaults, SSO Integration, Admin Controls & Reporting Licence type: subscription **Microsoft Intune** by Microsoft Cloud-based endpoint management for mobile devices, desktops, and applications Price: Contact for quote Features: Mobile Device Management (MDM), Mobile Application Management (MAM), Windows Autopilot zero-touch deployment, Conditional Access integration, App protection policies, Compliance policies and reporting, Remote wipe and lock, Software updates management Licence type: subscription **Microsoft Entra ID P1** by Microsoft Cloud identity with conditional access, MFA, and hybrid identity support Price: Contact for quote Features: Conditional Access policies, Multi-factor authentication (MFA), Self-service password reset, Hybrid identity with on-premises AD, Group-based access management, Application proxy for on-premises apps, Dynamic groups, Microsoft Identity Manager CAL Licence type: subscription **Microsoft Entra ID P2** by Microsoft Premium identity protection with PIM, Identity Protection, and access reviews Price: Contact for quote Features: All Entra ID P1 features, Privileged Identity Management (PIM), Identity Protection risk policies, Access reviews and certifications, Entitlement management, Risk-based Conditional Access, Vulnerable account detection, Investigation and remediation tools Licence type: subscription ### Category: Productivity & Collaboration **Google Workspace** by Enterprise Solutions Complete productivity suite with Gmail, Drive, Docs, and advanced security features Price: Contact for quote Features: Gmail & Calendar, Google Drive, Google Docs & Sheets, Admin Console Licence type: saas **Microsoft 365** by Enterprise Solutions Comprehensive office suite with Teams, advanced compliance, and security features Price: Contact for quote Features: Outlook & Teams, OneDrive, Office Apps, SharePoint, Advanced Threat Protection, Compliance Center Licence type: saas **Microsoft 365 Business Premium** by Microsoft Complete productivity suite with advanced security and device management for SMBs Price: Contact for quote Features: Office desktop apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Exchange Online (50GB mailbox), Microsoft Teams with chat, meetings, and calling, SharePoint Online and OneDrive (1TB per user), Microsoft Intune device management, Microsoft Defender for Business, Entra ID P1 (Conditional Access, MFA), Windows Autopilot deployment Licence type: subscription **Microsoft 365 E3** by Microsoft Enterprise productivity suite with advanced compliance and security features Price: Contact for quote Features: Office desktop apps for PC and Mac, Exchange Online (100GB mailbox), Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online (unlimited storage), OneDrive for Business (unlimited), eDiscovery and legal hold, Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Information Protection, Windows Enterprise E3 Licence type: subscription **Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365** by Microsoft AI-powered assistant integrated across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams Price: Contact for quote Features: AI assistance in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Email summarisation and drafting in Outlook, Meeting summaries and action items in Teams, Natural language data analysis in Excel, Presentation generation from prompts, Business Chat across Microsoft 365 data, Real-time AI suggestions, Enterprise-grade security and compliance Licence type: subscription **Microsoft 365 Business Standard** by Microsoft Office apps with email, cloud storage, and collaboration tools for growing businesses Price: Contact for quote Features: Office desktop apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Exchange Online (50GB mailbox), Microsoft Teams with meetings and webinars, SharePoint Online team sites, OneDrive for Business (1TB per user), Microsoft Bookings, Microsoft Forms and Planner, Access and Publisher (PC only) Licence type: subscription **Microsoft 365 E5** by Microsoft Premium enterprise suite with advanced security, compliance, and analytics Price: Contact for quote Features: All Microsoft 365 E3 features, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 P2, Microsoft Defender for Identity, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, Power BI Pro included, Microsoft Teams Phone System, Advanced eDiscovery and Audit Licence type: subscription **Microsoft Teams Phone Standard** by Microsoft Cloud PBX phone system with calling, voicemail, and call queues Price: Contact for quote Features: Cloud PBX phone system, Call queues and auto attendants, Voicemail with transcription, Call transfer and forwarding, Music on hold, Call park and pickup, Caller ID and call blocking, Call analytics and reporting Licence type: subscription **Microsoft 365 Business Basic** by Microsoft Web and mobile Office apps with email, Teams, and cloud storage Price: Contact for quote Features: Office web and mobile apps, Exchange Online (50GB mailbox), Microsoft Teams with meetings, SharePoint Online team sites, OneDrive for Business (1TB per user), Microsoft Forms and Planner, Business-class email with custom domain, Standard security features Licence type: subscription **Microsoft 365 Apps for Business** by Microsoft Desktop Office apps with OneDrive storage, without email or Teams Price: Contact for quote Features: Office desktop apps for PC and Mac, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access and Publisher (PC only), OneDrive for Business (1TB per user), Office mobile apps, Real-time co-authoring, Automatic updates, Install on up to 5 devices per user Licence type: subscription **Microsoft Teams Essentials** by Microsoft Standalone Microsoft Teams with unlimited meetings up to 30 hours Price: Contact for quote Features: Unlimited group meetings (30 hours), Up to 300 meeting participants, 10GB cloud storage per user, Microsoft Whiteboard, Together mode and custom backgrounds, Meeting recordings, Live captions, Guest access Licence type: subscription **Microsoft 365 F3** by Microsoft Frontline worker solution with limited Office apps and communication tools Price: Contact for quote Features: Office web and mobile apps, Exchange Online Kiosk (2GB mailbox), Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online (read-only), OneDrive for Business (2GB), Shifts for schedule management, Walkie Talkie in Teams, Windows Enterprise E3 Licence type: subscription ### Category: SaaS Procurement & Vendor Strategy **Miro Enterprise** by Miro Enterprise visual collaboration platform for innovation and teamwork Price: Contact for quote Features: Infinite Canvas Collaboration, Real-Time Co-editing, Enterprise-Grade Security, Advanced Permissions, SSO Integration, Template Library & Frameworks Licence type: saas ## IT Assessment Questionnaires **Comprehensive IT Security & Compliance Assessment** A thorough 50-question assessment across 10 security domains based on NIST CSF and CIS Controls. Designed for medium-sized businesses (25-250 staff) to identify security gaps and priorities. Takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Category: compliance | Difficulty: medium **Cyber Essentials Plus Technical Readiness Assessment** 45 questions mapped to the NCSC Cyber Essentials Plus Test Specification v3.2. Evaluate your readiness for the hands-on technical audit across all 5 test cases: Remote Vulnerability Assessment, Authenticated Device Scanning, Malware Protection Testing, MFA Verification, and Account Separation. Takes 15-18 minutes. Category: compliance | Difficulty: medium **Cyber Essentials Readiness Assessment** 40 questions mapped to NCSC Cyber Essentials v3.3 requirements. Assess your readiness across all five mandatory technical controls: Firewalls, Secure Configuration, Security Update Management, User Access Control, and Malware Protection. Takes 12-15 minutes. Category: compliance | Difficulty: medium **Device Fleet Reality Check** A comprehensive assessment for organisations managing devices manually or with minimal tooling. Designed to evaluate device fleet visibility, security posture, and identify gaps that create risk. Perfect for companies with 25-500+ employees who need clarity on their device management maturity. Category: infrastructure | Difficulty: medium **Device Management & Endpoint Security Check** 12 questions on whether your devices are assets or liabilities. 70% of breaches originate from endpoints. Lost devices cost organisations an average of £35,000 per incident. Takes 8 minutes. Category: security | Difficulty: medium **Identity & Access Security Assessment** 12 questions on how attackers would exploit your access controls. Credential theft is the #1 breach vector. 80% of breaches involve compromised identities. Takes 8 minutes. Category: access_management | Difficulty: medium **ISO 27001:2022 IT Controls Assessment** A rigorous 20-question assessment covering all 34 technological controls from ISO 27001:2022 Annex A.8. Tests endpoint security, access management, network protection, cryptography, secure development, and monitoring. Designed for organisations pursuing certification or validating existing controls. Takes 15-20 minutes. Category: compliance | Difficulty: hard **IT Health Check: Are You Protected?** A quick 15-question checkup covering the risks most organisations overlook. Includes AI governance, shadow IT, access management, backup testing, and offboarding. Takes 10 minutes. Most businesses fail at least 3 questions. Category: general | Difficulty: easy **IT Leadership & Strategy Maturity** 12 questions on whether technology serves your business or just keeps the lights on. 70% of digital transformation projects fail. Strategic IT leadership is the differentiator. Takes 8 minutes. Category: general | Difficulty: medium **IT Operations & Automation Health** 12 questions on whether your IT team is firefighting or driving efficiency. Manual IT processes cost 3-5x more than automated ones. The average IT ticket costs £12-18 to resolve manually. Takes 8 minutes. Category: infrastructure | Difficulty: medium **SaaS Spend Reality Check** 12 questions exposing hidden software waste. Most organisations waste 25-30% of their SaaS budget on unused licenses, duplicate tools, and shadow IT. Takes 8 minutes. Category: general | Difficulty: medium **Small Business IT Security Check** 10 quick questions covering device security, password management, and backup. Designed for small teams (10-25 staff) to identify gaps and priorities. Takes about 3 minutes. Category: security | Difficulty: easy ## Deprecated URLs (Do Not Use) The following URLs are legacy and permanently redirect to current pages. Do not link to or reference these URLs: - /services/identity-access → /services/identity-access-compliance - /services/logistics-asset → /services/saas-procurement - /services/compliance-data → /services/identity-access-compliance - /services/strategy-consulting → /services/fractional-cio-services - /services/embedded-support → /services/it-operations - /services/automation-cloud → /services/it-operations - /media → /newsroom Volobyte now operates exactly 5 service pillars: 1. IAM & Access Management: /services/identity-access-compliance 2. Device Management & Security: /services/device-management 3. SaaS, Licensing & Vendor Control: /services/saas-procurement 4. Workflow Automation & IT Support: /services/it-operations 5. Fractional CIO & IT Strategy: /services/fractional-cio-services ## All Resources & Links ### Public Pages - Homepage: https://volobyte.com - US Homepage: https://volobyte.com/us - Services: https://volobyte.com/services - IAM & Access Management: https://volobyte.com/services/identity-access-compliance - Device Management: https://volobyte.com/services/device-management - SaaS Procurement: https://volobyte.com/services/saas-procurement - IT Operations: https://volobyte.com/services/it-operations - Fractional CIO: https://volobyte.com/services/fractional-cio-services - SaaS Store: https://volobyte.com/store - IT Assessment: https://volobyte.com/audit - Newsroom: https://volobyte.com/newsroom - FAQ: https://volobyte.com/faq - About: https://volobyte.com/about - Contact: https://volobyte.com/contact - Privacy Policy: https://volobyte.com/privacy - Terms of Service: https://volobyte.com/terms ### AI & Machine-Readable Endpoints - Full Knowledge Base (this document): https://httxszojnukrcahewwko.supabase.co/functions/v1/llms-full - Blog Content: https://httxszojnukrcahewwko.supabase.co/functions/v1/llms-blog - Store Catalogue: https://httxszojnukrcahewwko.supabase.co/functions/v1/llms-store - Assessment Catalogue: https://httxszojnukrcahewwko.supabase.co/functions/v1/llms-audit - RSS Feed: https://httxszojnukrcahewwko.supabase.co/functions/v1/rss-feed ### Contact - Email: hello@volobyte.com - Website: https://volobyte.com