BRED can now resume its focus on extending its client base both in France and further afield, confident that its new IBM infrastructure offers the capacity and easy scaling to accommodate growth. Using integrated storage compression, the bank is boosting utilization of resources to enable better returns on its investments.
“Our average compression ratio on the IBM TS7760 is 5:1 – we were expecting it to be 3:1, so this is a really impressive outcome,” says Boulanger. “We have freed up storage capacity, driving down the cost per TB and giving ourselves space to grow over the next three years.”
In choosing IBM technology, BRED achieved its performance goals for the refreshed IT infrastructure. The bank uses the powerful IBM systems to deliver responsive services to clients and accelerate backup processes.
“We targeted a three-hour decrease in backup windows, and with IBM Storage technology we achieved that, representing a reduction of 60 percent,” explains Boulanger. “Our IBM virtual tape solution is very reliable, offering consistently high performance, and we’re not even pushing the technology anywhere near its limits yet.”
BRED benefits from deep insight into its IT infrastructure and easier access to vendor support. Boulanger adds: “Our administrators now have much greater visibility of our virtual tape environment, allowing them to optimize performance on an ongoing basis. If something does go wrong, we no longer have to deal with the challenges of three different vendors. Instead, we can raise a single ticket with IBM support if we need help and they respond fast, each and every time.”
The bank is drawing on its relationship with IBM to utilize its new infrastructure to its full potential and to fine-tune its long-term technology strategy. Specifically, BRED is exploring the possibility of data archival to the cloud using the Transparent Cloud Tiering feature built into the IBM T7760 system.
Boulanger concludes: “We are closely following the evolution of IBM’s cloud offerings. It’s reassuring to know that we have the technology in place to support a cloud strategy. We are free to choose if and when we will make the next move.”