Ideal joins The Lister Alliance

Posted on February 23, 2026 - 12:00 pm by Ant Bullock

Ideal has become a partner in the Lister Alliance, supporting the mission to embed digital technologies seamlessly across the NHS.

Advancing digital technology in healthcare

The Lister Alliance is bringing together NHS Trusts, practitioners, industry and academia to reshape the future of healthcare technology, creating better outcomes for patients.

Ideal has become an official partner, bringing leading-edge Smart Building expertise to improve the patient, staff and visitor experience within hospitals, primary care and community care.

Creating a data-driven ecosystem for the NHS

Using the latest Network, Wi-Fi and Cyber Security technologies – and seamlessly integrating with Building Management Systems, Sensors and The Internet of Things – the vision is to create a data-driven ecosystem that can enhance everything from individual patient comfort to real-time bed availability and hospital-wide security.

Real-time data at the heart of decision-making

Richard Evans, Chief Solutions Officer at Ideal, says that this a proven model in commercial buildings that could significantly benefit the NHS.

“A truly converged network gives you real-time data at the heart of decision-making. That can enhance environmental controls across a hospital or ward, increase safety and security for patients and staff, enable a more efficient use of spaces and facilities, save energy and create more sustainable operations.

“… a proven, fully adaptable approach…”

“In our Intelligent Ready Buildings (IRB) model, delivered by Ideal as a fully managed service framework, we already have a proven, fully adaptable integrated blueprint approach to Smart Buildings that aligns with Intelligent Hospital Capabilities (IHCs) and can be replicated across brand new hospitals, new wings or facility upgrades and refits.
“We’re looking forward to working with other partners in The Lister Alliance to deliver Living Labs that will show frontline health professionals how this Smart Building technology can enhance accessible, efficient and personalised healthcare across the NHS.”

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Supporting Horder Healthcare with rapid digital transformation and responsive managed services.

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Richard Evans, Chief Solutions Officer, heads up Ideal's Healthcare approach within the Lister Alliance.

Rich Evans

Cisco Preferred Partner status

Posted on February 11, 2026 - 5:09 pm by Ant Bullock

We’re excited to announce that we’ve achieved Cisco 360 Preferred Partner Status, showing our commitment as a Cisco Partner to delivering secure, scalable, and industry‑leading solutions to our customers.

This 360 Preferred Partner Status is in addition to the Managed Services Expert (formerly Gold Provider) status we already hold for three Cisco Powered Services:

Campus Access

Meraki Access

Managed Firewall

Recognition our customers can count on

Together, these accreditations mean that we are now recognised for offering validated, market‑leading cloud and managed services built on Cisco’s world-class technologies.

It also reinforces the core capabilities that power our secure Smart Buildings and Future‑Proofed Workplace solutions.

Moto Shakoori, Ideal Founder and CEO, says:
“This is fantastic recognition for 15 years of commitment to the highest standards right across the business.

“It confirms to our customers (and potential customers) that they can count on our expertise and professionalism. I am very proud of the team.”

Cisco Gold Provider

Posted on January 20, 2026 - 4:15 pm by Ant Bullock

Ideal has achieved Cisco Gold Provider Partner status, recognising excellence in our Managed Services delivery and Cisco-validated Powered Services.

A rigorous audit across the business

This award was based on a rigorous audit of our capability across our entire business operations and processes, from presales to design, projects, and service delivery.

The audit included a deep dive into our 24/7/365 UK based Network Operation Centre and how we handle proactive customer infrastructure checks, incident monitoring, management and resolution – illustrated by a live demonstration.

The audit also took a close look at our Support Lab and Staging Facility, where we ensure the efficacy and security of complex networks before implementation. And it included a presentation of key personnel qualifications, across technical, project management and support roles.

Focusing on three Powered Services

The award is structured around Cisco Powered Services. We chose to focus on three core capabilities that we have been offering for over a decade:

Meraki Access – covering cloud-managed, secure, and intelligent networking, wireless, switching, and security (SD-WAN).
Campus Access – which includes the design, deployment, and management of wired and wireless Local Area Network (LAN) infrastructure within a localised, multi-building, or campus environment.
Managed Firewall – the comprehensive, 24/7 provision of end-to-end security for network infrastructure, covering everything from initial configuration to proactive, around-the-clock monitoring and incident response.

Whilst the award commends these particular services, all of the business processes assessed here are applied across our entire portfolio of solutions.

What the auditor said

The auditor commended us on having ISO9001:2015 (Quality Systems) and ISO27001:2013 (IT Security) certifications. They noted that our customer base is very impressive, including several household names and described our Service Portfolio Process as “…one of the best the auditor has seen.”

“On this complex Gold Provider and CPS Audit, Ideal showed themselves to be a very professional Cisco Partner. Their attention to detail was first class using well documented procedures. Julia Elliot and her team are to be congratulated in providing a memorable and rewarding Gold Provider and Cisco Powered Service Audit experience.”

What it means for our customers

Cisco Powered is not about selling products – it is about ongoing service delivery that achieves business outcomes, such as improved reliability, predictable performance and a reduced operational burden.

For customers, the Cisco Powered logo signals:

✔ The service follows Cisco approved designs

✔ The provider has been audited, not self-certified

✔ They can expect predictable SLAs and service consistency, with reduced risk vs bespoke or “best efforts” managed services.

Moto Shakoori, Founder and CEO of Ideal, says he is really proud of this milestone in the company’s journey:

“When I set the company up, over 17 years ago, my aim was to focus on delivering absolute quality for customers, in everything we do. This Gold Award is a testament to that ambition and an acknowledgement of how everyone at Ideal works so hard to exceed customer expectations every day.”

Behind-the-scenes at Smart Building 150 Holborn

Posted on January 6, 2026 - 4:15 pm by Ant Bullock

You can tell 150 Holborn is a special building the minute you walk in and gaze up past the architectural staircase to the roof garden, seven floors above. But you need to take the behind-the-scenes tour to find out what makes this Smart Building truly exemplary.

A unique, future-proofed Smart Building

Anyone involved in Smart Buildings will tell you that is really hard to keep the vision alive from the initial architectural drawings, through development and construction to tenant occupancy. Why? Because as development challenges rear their ugly head, individual technology partners bring different needs and budget restrictions come to bear, the original vision often gets diluted or lost altogether.

What makes 150 Holborn different?

150 Holborn is different because the landlord, Sidara, one of the world’s leading consultancy companies for large construction projects, is also the tenant for the entire building.

Designed to headquarter up to 11 of Sidara’s global brands, 150 is therefore a showcase for what Sidara can deliver at the forefront of technology. There would be no value engineering out the smart technology on this project. Quite the opposite. The vision was at the heart of everything.

The result is a building that bristles with Smart capability, with 60,000 data-points reporting on every aspect of performance every 5 minutes, enabling real-time decision-making to maximise occupancy comfort, security, cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

Lisa Kenny, Head of Client Experience at Sidara, says they have had over 18,000 visitors this year alone.

“People sit in meetings with architects, smart building consultants, contractors and vendors and get told what can and can’t happen. They come here and can see what can be achieved when you put Smart first.”

Best-practice at every level

What makes a tour so compelling is that 150 pushes the art of what technology can deliver at every level – and it’s all on show here.

This is borne out by the key technology partners, Ideal, Cisco, Schneider Electric and Para.

Working closely together, these four technology companies ensured that the Information Technology (IT) like networks and Wi-Fi, talk to the Operational Technology (OT) – lifts and energy systems for example – and Internet of Things (IoT) like blinds and CCTV, to create a truly Smart Building.

The data can then be viewed and analysed. The creation of a Digital Twin for the entire building gives real-time insights, whilst simplifying maintenance and technology evolution.

Matthew Wallace, Digital Buildings Sales Director at Schneider Electric, explains that the Digital Twin functionality is just one part of the innovation here.

“We produced a whole new Building Data Platform for 150, consisting of an Independent Data Layer sitting on top of the Building Management System that controls all of the OT, sensors and IoT throughout the building. This is now the established backbone for the Intelligent Ready Building (IRB) approach we offer as a template for new projects.”

What do you want from a Smart Building?

We asked a selection of visitors on our latest 150 Holborn Open House Tour, “What’s the Smartest Thing a Smart Building Can Deliver?" Their range of answers gives an insight into how challenging it is to deliver a building that meets everyone’s needs, from landlords and developers to occupiers and individual employees.

Does ‘Smart’ have to be developer-led?

Moto Shakoori, Founder and CEO at Ideal, is quick to point out that whilst 150 Holborn has proved what is possible, there are many ways to deliver Smart.

“This is a brilliant showcase in the art of the possible, but Smart can be delivered at any level. We work with landlords, developers, construction contractors and tenants, as well as architects, M&E consultants, facilities management companies and many others to design and implement Converged Network Systems as the starting point for Smart.
“That can be one floor in a building to give your people a brilliant workplace experience, a huge stadium like Co-Op Live or the tallest building in the City of London.”

Come and see for yourself…

If you would like a behind-the-scenes tour of 150 Holborn, Register today and we can arrange an individual tour or let you know when our next Open House Tour is scheduled.

The first 100 days at Ideal

Posted on November 17, 2025 - 4:37 pm by Ant Bullock

Meghan and Matt with headphones on in the Ideal Offices

Meghan and Matt joined our Growth team 100 days ago. We asked them for their first impressions of working at Ideal…

How was it at the beginning?

Meghan:

“I came from a non-technical sales background, so I knew there would be a lot to learn, and it could have felt really daunting. But I have to say, right from the beginning, the supportive culture at Ideal was really reassuring. Everyone was welcoming and helpful. Lots of senior people gave up their time to make sure we got a deep understanding of the business and the solutions we offer.”
Matt:
“Yes, from the very beginning the CEO, Mo, came to speak with me at the interview, which made a huge impression. When I started, it felt really welcoming to find that people from different departments were always open to helping and sharing stories about their time at Ideal.”

What’s the day-to-day been like?

Matt:

“Most of the day involves outreach to new businesses we are keen to support, as well as finding the right people to bring to our events and workshops. There’s always time to have conversations with co-workers. We have internal events too, like the recent Bake Off, which has been a great way to get involved and have some fun.”
Meghan:
“I don’t get that Monday morning sinking feeling here. I really enjoy being part of a team. I feel valued. Sales can be quite tough, but I get plenty of one-to-one time with managers to help steer what I’m doing and provide encouragement. The offices are great, so it’s a good environment too.”

What about the next 100 days?

Meghan:

“I’m just focused on collaborating with more potential customers at the moment. But moving forwards I see a path to Account Management, and I know that the Ideal Academy will be there to help me take the next step, when I’m ready.”
Matt:
“I used to teach, which is really about helping others solve problems and inspiring them to do more. It’s been great to take this into this world. My focus is to continue building relationships and supporting new business for the team.”

Interested in working at Ideal? Take a look at our Careers page.

2X Award Winners

Posted on November 14, 2025 - 11:11 am by Ant Bullock

Ideal has won the prestigious Cisco Smart Building/Venue Partner of the Year award two years in a row for outstanding Converged Network Systems (CNS) capability – demonstrated across more than 40 Smart Buildings (and counting).

Ideal Founder and CEO, Moto Shakoori (second from left) with Sarah Walker (Chief Executive Cisco UK & Ireland VP), Richard Evans (CSO Ideal), Gary Stewart (Managing Director – UK Enterprise, Cisco) and Joachim Mason (Managing Director, Partner Sales, Cisco UK & Ireland).

CNS as the backbone

A CNS is the backbone of any Smart Building, integrating operational technology (OT), information technology (IT) building management services (BMS) and Internet of Things (IOT) devices in one accessible data-layer.

Doing it successfully – at a whole building or tenant level – creates smart spaces, where automatic responses and analysis of data enable smart decision-making around operations, security, user-experience, energy efficiency and sustainability.

For example, a truly smart building will know that the sun is heating one side of the building and can automatically adjust the blinds and reduce internal heating. It can refresh air between meetings. It can monitor building occupancy to restrict or increase the number of elevators in use in a high-rise building or activate additional access control points for a stadium.

Cisco recognising the highest standards

Cisco’s recognition of Ideal as the Smart Building/Venue Partner of the Year award, two years in a row, reflects our ability to bring the highest standard of technological understanding to CNS design. The latest Cisco solutions being deployed include Catalyst Network, Catalyst Center, Wi-Fi 7, Cyber Security and Spaces Ready , all supporting advanced corporate, OT, IoT and immersive AV capabilities.

Initial design is only part of the challenge. Deployment of a Smart CNS can require the integration of upwards of 40 independent technology partners. And it requires exceptional project management to deliver on time, on budget in complex construction or refit environments.

It’s also important to note that flexibility is key. A building needs to adapt as usage changes, working practices evolve or technologies enable new possibilities. Adaptable, flexible CNS deployment is critical to longevity.

Examples of Ideal’s award-winning CNS delivery

From more than 40 Smart Building CNS completed over the last 10 years, perhaps three prominent projects demonstrate the scale and capability Ideal is delivering:

Battersea Power Station

We delivered the secure CNS and Wi-Fi services for Battersea Power Station – the largest brick building in Europe, spanning over 42 acres. Ideal also provides Smart Managed Services to support thousands of residential and commercial users.

Co-op Live

We created a 5000-port CNS, integrating 40 different building systems at Co-op Live in Manchester, the most sophisticated music arena in Europe, with secure Wi-Fi supporting 23,500 concurrent users. Our network also supports ticketing, access control and a secure paperless user-experience across 40+ concessions.

150 Holborn

We designed implemented and support the secure CNS and Wi-Fi for 150 Holborn, the most advanced Smart Building in Europe. At 150, a dedicated single data layer enables real-time informed decision-making about working efficiencies, energy usage, sustainability and security, as well as monitoring all the building services.

Much more to come

Founder and Chief Executive, Moto Shakoori, says that Ideal has numerous projects in the pipeline and they are becoming more and more sophisticated.

“We are currently working on multi-million-pound development of the new headquarters for a globally recognised brand that takes ‘Smart’ to a new level.
“With Cisco’s technological innovation and our commitment to pushing what’s possible, the buildings we work on will continue to deliver better user environments, improved operational costs and sustainability benefits for years to come.”

Celebrating our first Ideal Academy graduation

Posted on October 21, 2025 - 4:37 pm by Ant Bullock

Emily Bignell with Samson Vaz in front of a green background.

Since the Ideal Academy launched, just 4 months ago, around 25% of employees have taken up the opportunity. And we’re delighted to congratulate Samson Vaz – our first Ideal Academy graduate.

Samson tells us:

“When they announced the Ideal Academy, it was perfect timing for me.
“I joined the Ideal Service Centre in November 2018 as a rookie 1^st Line Engineer, with no prior experience in IT.
“At first, it was a real challenge – everything was new to me – but I quickly found that I really enjoyed the work. The role offered so many learning opportunities, and over time, I built a solid foundation of technical knowledge and hands-on experience.
“With that experience, I was able to earn several relevant certifications, which helped me progress to a 2^nd Line Engineer position in April 2021.
“As I grew more confident in that role, I set my sights on the next step — becoming a 3^rd Line Engineer. However, I found it difficult to dedicate the extra hours needed for additional study and development while managing a busy workload. I was also unsure of what else, beyond certifications, I needed to focus on to make that leap. As a result, I lost some direction for a while.

The Academy made the difference

“When the Ideal Academy launched, three things changed for me.
“Firstly, it laid out exactly what I would need to do to make 3rd Line Engineer. Not just the exams, but the soft skills and effective teamwork capabilities. That clarity really motivated me.
“Secondly, the Academy encourages you to find a mentor. I asked Aaron Tunnicliff, our Head of Presales and Engineering. Even though he was insanely busy, he accepted my request. Now I had a super-experienced person to guide and encourage me. That made all the difference.
“Finally, I got regular feedback from my line manager, Nic Lambert, and the rest of the team, on how I could improve, with everyone knowing what the goal was. For example, rather than just taking over an escalation and providing a fix, I realised I had to show my 1st Line colleague how to fix it. And then write it up as a Knowledge-based Article in our Halo system, so that everyone else could refer to it, if they came across a similar issue.

You need to have targets in your life

“If you want to grow as an individual, you need to have targets in your life. I’m delighted to have graduated as a 3rd Line Engineer, but I already have sight of what’s next.

“Project Engineering would be the next level for me. I’ve had a quick look in the Academy and it makes the next steps really clear. It may be a few years off, but when the time is right, I know I can push for that.

“Right now, I’m transitioning to 3rd Line and I’m really excited. I can’t thank Aaron and Nic enough for their support, along with the Senior Management Team. They were there by my side and I think that’s the biggest factor in this success for me.”

Tech on Tap – sparking the conversation

Posted on October 7, 2025 - 9:03 am by Ant Bullock

People standing and chatting at Tech on Tap Event in London

When you work in technology, everything changes at an incredible pace and day-to-day challenges can be all-consuming.

That’s why we created Tech on Tap.

It’s a casual event where technology people can get together and have a drink and a chat with their peers. That could be about their emerging SASE strategy or a Smart Building vision; it could equally be about the latest VAR outrage in football or the bike lanes in Piccadilly.

The latest edition, kindly hosted by our client, 22 Bishopsgate, the tallest building in the City of London, was a brilliant example of how a real-life, face-to-face forum like this can be so positive.

A chance to catch-up, connect and collaborate

People who came on their own were quickly welcomed. We saw old colleagues reunited. New contacts made. A few job prospects were definitely scoped, and new projects and collaborations were gently explored. The overall impression was of a real buzz created by like-minded people sharing a few moments away from the everyday.

So far, we have run Tech on Tap events in Brighton and London. Do keep an eye out for the next one – follow us on LinkedIn for when we announce the next one – and do join us if you can.

We promise you a warm welcome.

Managed Services – doing it right

Posted on September 8, 2025 - 12:00 am by Ant Bullock

Taking on a Managed Service contract from another provider opened our eyes to the importance of the quality we deliver.

When we offer a Managed Service, we provide a quotation based on a quality UK-based 24/7/365 service implemented to the highest standards. That can lead to other firms providing lower quotes and occasionally we do lose business based on price.

So, what’s the difference?

Normally that’s hard to quantify but in a recent case we have had the opportunity to take back a Managed Service contract from a bid we originally lost. And it’s been quite an eye-opener.

The client runs a Smart Building with a Converged Network System (CNS) that Ideal designed and built. The CNS brings IT systems, building functionality, operability and cyber security together in one integrated system.

After completion, on time and to budget, the client opted for another firm to provide the ongoing Managed Support. Less than a year later, they asked us to take over the Smart Managed Service support contract and we have been really surprised at what we have found.

Finding a litany of vulnerabilities and miss-guided actions

As a Managed Services provider, we take a proactive approach to ensure our clients enjoy the highest level of security and operability – and we take our responsibilities seriously.

Just some of the issues we discovered on taking over this contract were far from the standards we would expect, including:

Firewall secondary circuits were not provisioned to the correct level, with the standby firewall not working at all. This would have made the standby firewall redundant in the event of a firewall failure. It was preventing cluster patching/upgrades for serious security vulnerabilities, and it also presented the very real possibility of any breach causing a shutdown across the whole system.
Self-certification on one of their Cisco identity service engine servers had expired meaning that the servers in the high availability pair would not trust each other, negating redundancy in operation and giving rise to another potential single point of failure.
Virtual, VCentre (VM ISE and Prime) storage disk space was maxed out due to poor housekeeping or a lack of understanding of the service.
Cisco Smart licensing lacked the proper documentation and root passwords had expired, which made the transition challenging.

Making reparations and deploying robust processes

After our initial audit, our first actions were to introduce a rolling patching schedule to bring the environment up to standard. We then worked urgently to reduce the top risk impactors, which included Firewall fixes, AAA server, switch/APs and VCentre overhauls.

What does this tell you about Managed Services contracts?

The key point is that if you are making a Managed Services contract decision based on price, you need to understand the scope of what you are being offered. And how technically competent the people providing your support are.

In this case, it looks like support was being provided by a generalist IT team that didn’t really understand the complexity of a Smart Building CNS and the inter-connected complexities it presents.

The apparent lower cost is really a false economy in terms of the potential cost of security breaches or downtime issues and the client’s time needed to manage the operation.

What’s in scope is also an important consideration. For example, in this case, the incumbent wanted to charge an additional cost to install and manage a new SSID to cover another floor in the building. That was simply completed by us as a service request, due to a better grassroot understanding of the network.

Tracy Stairs, Managed Service Delivery Manager at Ideal, says:

“We’re obviously delighted to bring this client back into our business. Working to ITIL-aligned processes with an in-house UK-based 24/7/365 team does come with its costs, but this case demonstrates that it’s the best approach to ensure the reliability and seamless operations our clients rely on.”

Ask for a Managed Service quote

IRB – introducing the Intelligent Ready Building

Posted on July 28, 2025 - 2:55 pm by Ant Bullock

Venn Diagram illustrating the Intelligent Ready Building collaboration between Cisco, Ideal, Para and Schneider.

Where do you even start if you want to create a Smart Building?

The Intelligent Reading Building (IRB) standard combines the renowned capabilities of global leaders in their fields, bringing proven strategy, best-in-class products, technical expertise and customer-focused design to deliver agile, scalable solutions.

IRB is a partnership between Ideal, technology giant Cisco, BMS experts Schneider Electric and digital consultancy Para, delivering a blueprint for Smart Building development.

Take the friction out of your smart building journey

Building on proven delivered projects like 150 Holborn, IRB brings together secure converged networks and unparalleled building technology to create a seamless, adaptable reference architecture from which to customise your operational requirements.

Working with our experts, we can help you from initial Smart Consultancy stages, through Smart Build to completion. We’ll provide holistic solutions across your technology stack, integrating your operational technology (OT), information technology (IT) building management services (BMS) and Internet of Things (IOT) devices in one accessible data-layer.

We can then work with you to set up tracking and analysis, putting you fully in control of your building with decision-making about working efficiencies, energy usage, sustainability, security and services based on real-time data.

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