Specialist IT & Cyber Security Partner for Architects
Managed IT & Cyber Security for Architects & Design Firms
ATS Connection helps architects and design businesses reduce downtime, support collaborative workflows and proactively manage Microsoft 365, cyber security and business-critical systems, with fast, responsive UK-based support. We also support construction firms and estate agents.
<15 minutesAvg. Response
MFA + Conditional AccessMicrosoft 365 secured
50+
UK firms supported
20+
Years operating as a UK MSP
98%
First-contact resolution
<15 min
Average response time
THE REALITY FOR MOST ARCHITECTS & DESIGN FIRMS
Where IT quietly costs design
studios time, fees and creative momentum
Modern architecture and design firms depend on fast workstations, stable cloud systems, secure project files and smooth collaboration between office, site and home.
But most IT problems do not begin with one major failure.
They build quietly through slow devices, messy file structures, unreliable remote access, Microsoft 365 sprawl, untested backups and reactive support that only becomes visible when a deadline, client review or planning submission is at risk.
ATS helps architecture and design firms reduce these risks methodically, keeping creative teams productive, project data protected and technology quietly supporting the work.
Where Risks Usually Start
- Workstation performance – Slow CAD, Revit and rendering machines quietly drain fee-earning time.
- Project file management – Drawings, models, references and shared libraries become difficult to control without proper structure.
- Remote & hybrid collaboration – Designers working across office, site and home need secure, consistent access to project files and tools.
- Microsoft 365 governance – SharePoint, Teams, Outlook and shared mailboxes become messy without clear permissions and standards.
- Backup & recovery – Project archives, drawings and business data may be backed up but rarely tested through real recovery scenarios.
- Cyber security posture – Phishing, client impersonation and weak MFA can expose sensitive project, client and payment information.
WHY ARCHITECTS & DESIGN FIRMS CHOOSE ATS
An IT partner that operates at studio-pace
Predictable support, governed Microsoft 365, resilient collaboration and grown-up advice, delivered by senior engineers who genuinely understand creative businesses.
Continuous proactive monitoring
Failing devices, expired certificates, identity risk and security drift caught long before designers feel them.
Large-file & collaboration expertise
Properly structured SharePoint, OneDrive and project libraries, engineered for drawings, models and design assets.
Hybrid workstation support
Encrypted, Intune-managed laptops and workstations, consistent performance from the studio, home or on site.
Cyber security as standard
MFA, EDR, phishing defence and Cyber Essentials alignment included in the retainer, never an upsell.
Strategic IT planning
Quarterly reviews, multi-year roadmaps and budget guidance aligned to project pipeline, headcount and growth.
Long-term partnerships
The majority of our studio clients have been with ATS for 5+ years, a relationship, not a renewal.
MICROSOFT 365, COLLABORATION & CYBER SECURITY
A modern, secure operating environment for your design studio
We deploy a layered, audit-ready model across your tenant, identities, devices and project file storage. Engineered to keep designers collaborating, projects flowing and client data protected.
MFA enforced firm-wide
Phishing-resistant MFA on every account, every device, including directors, architects and design technologists.
Conditional Access policies
Risk-based controls that block sign-ins from untrusted devices, locations and legacy protocols.
Advanced email defence
Link rewriting, attachment detonation and impersonation protection tuned for client, consultant and contractor correspondence.
Joiner / leaver automation
Same-day onboarding for new architects and technologists, clean, audited deactivation when team members move on.
Managed EDR / MDR
24/7 detection and response on every endpoint, with documented escalation paths and incident reporting.
Identity & tenant monitoring
Continuous alerting on identity risk, configuration drift and anomalous behaviour across your tenant.
Zero-trust remote access
Intune-managed laptops and workstations, Conditional Access and secure remote access for designers working from anywhere.
Independent M365 backup
Immutable, third-party backups of Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams, beyond Microsoft’s native retention.
Structured project file storage
Properly designed SharePoint and OneDrive for drawings, models and shared libraries, with retention, versioning and DLP.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
A complete managed cyber security service, under one accountable partner
One structured monthly service designed to reduce operational risk, strengthen Microsoft 365 security and improve resilience across your business.
Unlimited UK helpdesk
Senior engineers supporting designers, directors and technologists across office, site and hybrid environments.
- Fast-response UK support
- Remote & on-site assistance
- CAD & design workflow familiarity
- Named engineering contacts
- Escalation ownership
Microsoft 360 Administration
Structured governance across Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Teams and studio-wide collaboration tools.
- Tenant governance
- Exchange & Teams management
- SharePoint structure
- Secure file sharing
- Licensing & access control
Workstation & device management
Performance-focused device management for design software, rendering workloads and hybrid teams.
- Intune device management
- Workstation security
- Endpoint encryption
- Device compliance policies
- Hardware lifecycle planning
Environment monitoring & operational support
Continuous oversight across studio infrastructure, connectivity and Microsoft 365 services.
- Infrastructure monitoring
- Network visibility
- Proactive alerting
- Microsoft 365 health checks
- Operational reporting
Managed endpoint security
Layered protection across laptops, workstations and servers used across the studio.
- Managed EDR / MDR
- Threat monitoring
- Security response procedures
- Vulnerability remediation
- Security policy alignment
Backup, recovery & continuity
Protecting project archives, Microsoft 365 data and business-critical systems against disruption.
- Independent Microsoft 365 backup
- Project archive protection
- Recovery testing
- Disaster recovery planning
- Recovery documentation
HOW WE PARTNER WITH ARCHITECTS & DESIGN FIRMS
A four-stage operational model, built for modern design studios
Every studio we onboard follows the same calm, structured transition, designed to remove risk and disruption, not introduce it. Real engineers, real reviews, real continuity planning, not a ticketing portal.
01
Audit & assess
Independent review of your Microsoft 365, workstations, identities, file storage and security posture, benchmarked against where the studio is heading.
02
Secure & standardise
MFA, Conditional Access, EDR, independent backup and Cyber Essentials alignment deployed in a controlled, change-managed sequence.
03
Monitor & support
Named UK engineers, continuous monitoring, predictable response SLAs and unlimited support for every designer in the studio.
04
Scale & improve
Quarterly business reviews with your leadership team, covering risk, roadmap, project pipeline, supplier performance and budget.
MINI CASE STUDY
From reactive break-fix to a calm, collaborative design operation
A growing South East architecture practice approached ATS frustrated by slow workstations under CAD and Revit, sync conflicts on shared drawings, and a fragmented onboarding process that left new technologists waiting days to be fully productive.
Original Risks
- Workstations struggling under CAD & rendering
- No MFA, weak Microsoft 365 configuration
- Sync conflicts and version chaos on drawings
- New starters waiting days to get fully set up
What ATS Implemented
- Hardened M365 tenant with MFA & Conditional Access
- Right-sized workstations & Intune management
- Structured SharePoint project libraries
- Independent M365 backup and rehearsed recovery
Free • No obligation • Senior engineer • 30 minutes
Book an IT & Cyber Review for Your Architecture or Design Business
A confidential, no-obligation conversation with one of our principal engineers.
Focused on reducing downtime, supporting collaborative teams, securing Microsoft 365 and protecting every project.
Designed for architects & design firms
- Reduce downtime across the studio
- Strengthen large-file & project
collaboration - Benchmark Microsoft 365
security & governance - Map a clear, costed IT & cyber roadmap
What clients say
Rated 5.0 on Google by Sussex businesses.
★★★★★
We have been with ATS Connection for years and they have always been reliable. Fast, efficient, and they really know their stuff.
MichelleNorthgate PropertiesGoogle ★ 5.0
★★★★★
Their proactive IT support has saved us a lot of headaches. We can focus on growing our business knowing our IT is sorted.
VickyCallatech EngineeringGoogle ★ 5.0
★★★★★
ATS Connection has been a huge help. Whenever we run into IT issues, they are always there to resolve things quickly.
NicholasNorfolk Arms HotelGoogle ★ 5.0
FAQ
IT & cyber questions architects & design firms ask us most
Modern architecture practices need more than a helpdesk. They need a managed partner who governs Microsoft 365, structures SharePoint and OneDrive properly for drawings and models, supports CAD and Revit workstations, layers cyber security, maintains tested backups of project archives and provides senior strategic input. Reactive break-fix is no longer enough & studios running tight programmes and deliverables can’t afford queue-based support.
Start with the fundamentals: Intune-managed laptops and workstations, MFA on every account, Conditional Access policies, secure VPN or zero-trust access and properly governed SharePoint for drawings, models and reference libraries. Then layer in optimised Teams configuration, modern endpoint protection and resilient internet connectivity so designers can work from the studio, home or on site with the same speed and security.
Microsoft 365 holds your drawings, contracts, client correspondence, project archives and internal IP, making it the highest-value target in your business. Default tenant settings are not secure or audit-ready: legacy authentication is often enabled, SharePoint is over-shared, guest access is uncontrolled and there is no third-party backup. A properly governed tenant with MFA, Conditional Access, retention, DLP and independent backup dramatically reduces the risk of email compromise, fee fraud and data loss.
Our average response time is under 11 minutes, with a target of under 30 minutes across all support channels. 98% of issues are resolved on first contact by our UK-based engineers, and the majority are handled remotely without a designer ever needing to leave their workstation. Critical incidents, including suspected breaches and major Microsoft 365 disruption, are escalated immediately under documented major-incident procedures.
The biggest risks we see in architecture and design firms are phishing and CEO-impersonation, client and consultant fee fraud, account takeover via reused passwords, and data loss through over-shared SharePoint and OneDrive. Mitigation is a layered programme: MFA, managed EDR, Conditional Access, advanced email defence, security awareness training, independent M365 backup and continuous tenant monitoring, all delivered as part of the ATS managed service.
Continuity for a studio means more than a backup file. It means independent, immutable backup of Microsoft 365 and project archives, rehearsed recovery scenarios, redundant connectivity, secure device management and a clear plan for what happens if the studio or a key system is unavailable. ATS builds and tests this as part of the managed service so leadership can answer continuity questions from clients and PI insurers with confidence.
Yes. We support architecture and design firms operating fully remotely, hybrid or across multiple studios, using Intune-managed devices, Conditional Access, modern collaboration tooling and secure remote access. We engineer environments for consistent performance, security and auditability regardless of location.
Yes. ATS is based in Arundel and supports studios across Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and London on-site, with managed IT and cyber security delivered to architecture and design firms throughout the UK using secure remote tooling. On-site engineering visits are scheduled where they add real value, for studio moves, hardware rollouts or critical incidents.
