UNIT4 Selects HP

A leading supplier of administrative systems to the UK education sector UNIT4 Business Software Ltd has selected a flexible, scalable HP managed cloud platform to enable the provision of software-as-a-service (SaaS) to Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE) institutions in the UK.
UNIT4’s change-embracing business software provides the major administrative functions (research, finance, HR & Payroll, students, estates, business engagement and graduate progression) needed to support education and research services at HE and FE institutions. UNIT4 Campus solutions are currently used by more than 150 FE colleges and more than 100 HE universities in the UK.

“To drive greater efficiency and reduce administration costs, education institutions are investigating new IT delivery options such as SaaS,” says Darren Hunt, Sales and Marketing Director (UK & Ireland), UNIT4 Business Software Ltd. “We have chosen HP as a preferred hosting provider for the education sector for its proven track record in hosted services. This enables us to provide UNIT4 Campus, built on the UNIT4 Agresso Development Platform, as a service via the cloud – quickly, securely and cost-effectively.”

For the next five years, HP Enterprise Cloud Services – Virtual Private Cloud will provide UNIT4 with infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), allowing the company to offer its education clients a pay-as-you-go approach. Part of the HP Converged Cloud portfolio, HP Enterprise Cloud Services – Virtual Private Cloud delivers the flexibility and agility to meet growing demands for services without sacrificing security.

“At a time of great change for the education sector, clients are examining closely the relationships they have with suppliers,” says Craig Wilson, UK MD for HP Enterprise Services. “HP will enable UNIT4 to offer solutions that meet the requirements of institutions today as well as empowering the colleges and universities of tomorrow.”