With the onset of a new decade, Irish Nationwide (IOM) has unveiled a string of advances to their IT systems which will improve security levels.
Due to come into effect during the first quarter of 2010, the new systems will help to streamline back office procedures, providing greatly improved levels of security and affording the company the ability to integrate the banking system with its other core elements.
This will culminate in a much more efficient working environment and provide Irish Nationwide with more detailed analysis capabilities.
The new system is the result of months of hard work by the company’s IT manager, Steven Dallimore (pictured), who, since joining Irish Nationwide (IOM) a little over a year ago, has worked on enhancing the IT policies throughout the company.
As Steven points out, "In the past, Irish Nationwide has been primarily outsourcing their IT support, which gave them no clear direction for present or future strategy."
This new system will eliminate those problems, allowing for greater control, and tighter reporting to regulators, as well as helping to provide better communication to clients.
Steven has also implemented a Citrix remote working option into the package, which will allow staff to work on the system even if they are unable to access the building for any reason, which means the new system will even be resistant to the likes of a pandemic flu outbreak!
A more modern and user-friendly version of the previous banking system operated by Misys, the cutting edge technology behind this new project, will take the company into a revitalized era of financial management, with the added benefits of an advanced reporting engine allowing enhanced communication with both the company’s head office and the FSC.
But beyond the functional advantages of the new system lie even more innovative enhancements, including a fully virtualised server infrastructure.
Unlike traditional servers, where operating systems lie within the confines of a single box, this new set up allows for the ability to run a ‘virtual’ server on any piece of hardware, reducing the age old problems inherent in hardware failure and data corruption.
Steven explains, "A ‘virtual’ image of your server can be transported onto any piece of hardware, so if your server goes down the virtual server can run on another physical box instead, rather than having to rebuild the whole server or restore it.
"This is a major step forward in consolidating server room hardware and a superb business continuity tool."
Steven Webster, Relationship Manager, comments, "The appointment of Steven Dallimore and the subsequent investment in our IT systems has provided us with a stable platform from which to launch Irish Nationwide into a new and exciting stage of its development.
"This platform will provide us with opportunities to develop and enhance our product range over the coming months, assisting our team greatly and helping us to provide an excellent and ongoing service to all our customers."
