The Customer

AntalBank (AB) is one of CIS largest business investment banks. AntalBank decided to outsource certain banking functions so it could focus on growing its business. Helastel implemented the data storage program that reduced costs and successfully transitioned an improved operational environment back to the bank.

The Challenge

In response to the highly competitive nature of the financial services marketplace, AntalBank made a strategic decision to seek a technology partner for its data storage and backup. This would enable the bank to focus on its core competencies and grow its business. At the same time, ensuring the millions of transactions and accounts are stored in accordance with regulation. The bank sought a business partner that could create a leveragable solution that met its specific requirements and had a solid track record in delivering results. It chose Helastel to handle all its data storage, backup and emergency recovery procedures.

The Solution

Banks house vast amounts of information; typically digital data that is exposed to a variety of risks ranging from accidents to theft and technology glitches. Processes and technology were in place to store data and retrieve it when required, but relied on manual data tape backups, to a great extent. These data tapes were stored in remote locations, meaning timely restore was difficult. Furthermore, lack of central storage solution, relied on third party solutions which were not sufficiently reliable. Typically, backup to tape is plagued by lack of data integrity, management and stability, and offsite vaulting that makes the tapes inaccessible for immediate recovery in the event of a disaster.

Helastel provided data recovery through a grid based solution that connects users in a secure data grid. This solution will help solve the issues of a global bank.

Servers in the data recovery grid use a client application that automatically backs up their vital data in a scheduled manner across multiple bank sites. The data is encrypted and stored in different locations on the grid formed by the storage servers. Such a setup ensured there is no single point of failure. Moreover, the seamless storage exchange where multiple storage servers contribute storage to the grid and use storage capacity on the grid, keeps costs down. Redundancy was assured by a large number of storage participants.

The Result

Thanks to consistent and open communication, Helastel, seamlessly redeployed all of the data storage throughout the organisation with no loss of staff, customer impact or negative PR.

Throughout the transformation, Helastel changed many of the old cast-in-stone data storage practices exercised by the bank. Recovery procedures were put in place with regular training practices where IT staff would be required to shutdown some of the storage servers and ensure that monitoring systems would pick up service unavailability and then staff quickly follow protocol to restore correct system operations.