ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS
IT support for engineers and architects in Meath
Ongoing IT support and security for engineering and architecture practices in Meath and North East Leinster. We help keep large drawing files, project folders and design workstations working across office, site and home, from our base in Hurdlestown, Co. Meath, since 1985.
Common IT challenges for engineering and architecture practices
Big files, slow access
Drawing and model files that open quickly in the office can crawl over home broadband or a site connection, so people start keeping their own copies.
Which version is current?
Copies saved to desktops, USB keys and email make it easy to issue an out-of-date drawing or overwrite a colleague’s changes.
Workstations under strain
CAD and design software needs capable processors, graphics cards and memory. An ageing or poorly maintained machine slows the whole project team.
Fraud around stage payments
Criminals watch for invoices and stage payments, then send convincing emails asking clients or contractors to pay into a new account.
What we look after in a design practice
Shared project folders and permissions
Microsoft 365 set up so project teams, clients and contractors reach only the files they need, with multi-factor sign-in, and access removed when a project closes or someone leaves.
Payment-fraud defences
On Gold: email security, phishing awareness training built around fake invoices and changed bank details, leaked-password alerts and a business password manager.
Design workstations
Monitoring, patching, antivirus, and endpoint detection and response on the workstations and laptops we manage, plus help matching replacements to your software’s requirements.
Backup for project archives
Microsoft 365 backup covers email, OneDrive and SharePoint. It doesn’t automatically cover project drives on a local server or PC, so we scope device and server backup in your proposal.
CAD and design software
We look after the workstations, network and user accounts your CAD and design software depend on, and work with your software vendors when something needs their input.
Office, site and home access
Reliable office Wi-Fi and networking, and secure access to project files for staff working from home or on site.
Protecting client data, contracts and project information
Clients, insurers and larger contractors increasingly ask how you protect project information and personal data, often through a security questionnaire or a contract clause. Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre lists supplier fraud, where a compromised email account is used to send fake invoices or change payment details, among the common forms of business email compromise, and recommends a strict call-back check for any change of bank details.
If a breach affects personal data, such as client or employee details, GDPR generally requires you to notify the Data Protection Commission within 72 hours, unless it’s unlikely to result in a risk to the people concerned. Your professional advisers and insurer can confirm what applies to your practice. On the IT side, we provide:
- Up-to-date records of your devices, accounts, systems and suppliers
- Access controls for project folders shared with clients and contractors
- Backups, with restore tests every two weeks and records available on request
- Supplier information about us, for your own records
- Help with the IT questions in insurer, client and contractor security questionnaires
We’re an IT support company, not a legal or compliance adviser, and we don’t give legal or regulatory advice.
Two packages, priced per user
Gold
From €70
per user/month, excluding VAT
- Everything in Silver
- Email security and phishing awareness training
- Microsoft 365 admin and support
- 24/7 security monitoring through our security monitoring partner, separate from helpdesk hours
- Application control, leaked-password alerts and a business password manager
Silver
From €45
per user/month, excluding VAT
- Remote support, monitoring and patching
- Antivirus and endpoint detection and response (EDR)
- Ransomware protection
- Microsoft 365 backup (email, OneDrive and SharePoint)
You can mix the two, with Gold for most staff and Silver for lighter users. Microsoft 365 licences are charged separately and are not included in either package.
A local team you can talk to
Based in Hurdlestown, Co. Meath, our team combines everyday IT support, ongoing security reviews and practical planning. You’ll know who looks after your systems and who to contact when you need help.
Helpdesk
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm. After-hours emergency support is available at an extra cost, via a dedicated mobile number and email.
24/7 security monitoring
Included in Gold and separate from the helpdesk: our security monitoring partner watches for threats around the clock.
How getting started works
1. Understand your business and systems
We learn how your practice works, the CAD and design software you use, and where drawings and project files are stored.
2. Review risks and priorities
We look at file access from office, site and home, workstation performance, payment-fraud risks and what your backups actually cover, and agree priorities with you.
3. Agree improvements and ongoing support
You get a written proposal: the improvements we recommend, the right package for each person, and any setup work quoted upfront.
4. Keep security and future needs under review
As projects, staff and software change, we review your security and plan workstation upgrades and new setups with you.
Engineering and architecture IT support: your questions answered
Is Microsoft 365 included in your price?
No. Microsoft 365 licences are charged separately. Gold includes Microsoft 365 admin and support, so we can manage your licences and setup for you.
Does your Microsoft 365 backup cover our project drives?
Not automatically. Microsoft 365 backup covers email, OneDrive and SharePoint. Project files held on a local server, a network storage box or individual workstations need device or server backup, which we scope in your proposal. We test restores every two weeks, and you can request the records.
How can staff work with large drawing files from home or on site?
It depends on where your files live, how big they are and the connections people have. We look at your storage, software and broadband, then recommend a practical setup, such as syncing selected project folders through Microsoft 365 or secure remote access to office machines. We’ll be clear about what a home or site connection can realistically handle.
Can you help with workstations for CAD and design software?
Yes. We monitor and patch the machines we manage and keep operating systems and drivers up to date. When it’s time to replace a machine, we can help you match it to your software vendor’s recommended specification.
How do we share files with clients and contractors safely?
Share links to specific project folders, limited to named people and with an expiry date where possible, rather than emailing large attachments or using personal file-sharing accounts. Remove access when a project closes. We can help set this up in SharePoint or OneDrive.
How do we protect stage payments from invoice fraud?
Agree a simple rule: any change to bank details is confirmed by phone, using a number you already hold, before money moves. The National Cyber Security Centre recommends this kind of call-back check. Gold adds email security, phishing awareness training and leaked-password alerts, which make it harder for a mailbox to be taken over in the first place.
Talk to Michael about your project files and workstations
Tell us how your team works across office, site and home. We’ll help you identify practical next steps for your IT support and security.