IBM helps Korea Exchange Bank set new standards for business continuity

The Korea Exchange Bank enables Europe-based Korean businesses, embassies and students to carry out transactions with those based in Korea. Based in London, the regional operations centre for Europe is responsible for systems and operations throughout the region, and London Branch has key business areas of trade finance, retail customer and counter services, foreign exchange and remittance.
Business continuity is an important issue in the world of banking. Stringent regulations require banks to have a restoration plan that enables a complete recovery of internal systems and renewed connection to the international banking network within eight hours.

With these requirements in mind, the Korea Exchange Bank decided it was time to review its strategy for business continuity. In particular, the bank wanted to streamline its back up and recovery processes, resolve a number of technical difficulties, and reduce the burden of administering these important functions. These challenges prompted the search for a specialist provider of business continuity solutions for the banking industry.

IBM helps Korea Exchange Bank set new standards for business continuity.The Korea Exchange Bank enables Europe-based Korean businesses, embassies and students to carry out transactions with those based in Korea. Based in London, the regional operations centre for Europe is responsible for systems and operations throughout the region, and London Branch has key business areas of trade finance, retail customer and counter services, foreign exchange and remittance.Business continuity is an important issue in the world of banking. Stringent regulations require banks to have a restoration plan that enables a complete recovery of internal systems and renewed connection to the international banking network within eight hours.With these requirements in mind, the Korea Exchange Bank decided it was time to review its strategy for business continuity. In particular, the bank wanted to streamline its back up and recovery processes, resolve a number of technical difficulties, and reduce the burden of administering these important functions. These challenges prompted the search for a specialist provider of business continuity solutions for the banking industry. OverviewAn ambitious target Korea Exchange Bank needed to deliver a new, working solution for business continuity in time to meet its obligations under the regulatory requirements. The bank urgently needed to find a company with the expertise and experience to help them achieve the right results against the tightest timescales. The IBM team has been superb. Our account manager has been extremely responsive, and the engineers have proved they can solve important technical challenges. That makes us confident that IBM would be there to help if we were faced with a critical situation.    Frances Butcher, Systems Administrator, Korea Exchange Bank Quality of support was more of an issue for us than hardware, explained Frances Butcher, Systems Administrator at the Korea Exchange Bank. Our resources come under a lot of pressure, so we needed to find people we could trust to take responsibility for key aspects of the project. The ChallengeTo meet banking regulations that require a business continuity and recovery system capable of delivering total IT system recovery in eight hoursThe SolutionDesign and implementation of a business continuity system that enables: Complete and rapid recovery of critical business systems Renewed connection to the international banking network (SWIFT) Reconnection to Korea Exchange Bank s own Global Frame Relay network servicing the Branches in EuropeThe Benefit Higher availability for critical business services Ability to test resilience Internal resources freed for work on core tasksIBM Global ServicesUntitled DocumentIBM United Kingdom LimitedPO Box 41North HarbourPortsmouth HampshirePO6 3AUTel: 0870 010 2503ibm.com/services/ukIBM Ireland LimitedOldbrook House24-32 Pembroke RoadDublin 4Tel: 1890 200 392ibm.com/services/ieIBM Nederland N.V.Postbus 99991006 CE AmsterdamTel: 020 513 5151ibm.com/services/nlIBM South Africa LimitedPrivate Bag X9907Sandhurst 2146South AfricaTel: 0860 700 777ibm.com/services/zaUK company-wide registration to ISO9001.Certificate number FM 92089.The IBM home page can be found at ibm.comIBM, the IBM logo and ibm.com are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.Other company, product and service names may be trademarks, or service marks of others.References in this publication to IBM products, programs or services do not imply that IBM intends to make these available in all countries in which IBM operates. 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Copyright IBM Corporation 2003All Rights Reserved.ITCUK01026-3 (12/03) AP IBM has impressed us with its ability to deliver successful solutions to our problems, and I am sure they will continue to play a vital role in our business continuity strategy for many years to come.    Frances Butcher, Systems Administrator, Korea Exchange BankCracking the challengeIBM met all the bank s criteria and was initially contracted for a two-month engagement. IBM Global Services replicated the bank s IT environment and tested two separate recovery solutions, one using a tape and one using a clone file, both of which successfully restored the system within the required timeframe. IBM also found a way to restore data to the bank s new security application a technical challenge that had defeated the bank s incumbent DR supplier. Korea Exchange Bank was so impressed with the initial results that it extended the project to include a full business continuity and systems recovery solution.Under a new five-year contract, IBM is developing and managing a new business continuity infrastructure for the bank that will help ensure the highest levels of business resilience.Safeguarding the futureKorea Exchange Bank is now confident it has a business continuity infrastructure capable of meeting the most testing conditions and stringent industry regulations. The IBM team has been superb, said Frances Butcher. Our account manager has been extremely responsive, and the engineers have proved they can solve important technical challenges. That makes us confident that IBM would be there to help if we were faced with a critical situation. IBM has impressed us with its ability to deliver successful solutions to our problems, and I am sure they will continue to play a vital role in our business continuity strategy for many years to come, she concluded. For more information To find out more about IBM Global Services contact your IBM sales representative or visit:ibm.com/services/ukibm.com/services/ieibm.com/services/nlibm.com/services/za