Absa Bank, one of SA`s largest banking institutions, has renewed its contract with SafeGuard iT for disaster recovery services for another five years with a collaboration agreement estimated at around R40 million.
SafeGuard iT, a joint venture between the AST Group and UK-based Guardian iT, and a leading business continuity provider in SA, will offer a comprehensive disaster recovery management package for Absa`s mainframe and mid-range environments. The solution was designed to be specific to the financial industry, thereby strengthening SafeGuard iT`s commitment to backup services for even the most demanding and complex corporate environments.
Through its relationship with AST and access to Guardian iT`s expertise, SafeGuard iT will provide Absa with stable business operations based on proven international best practice, to ensure exactly the right contingency measures that will safeguard Absa in the event of system failure.
"Disaster recovery is vital for any responsible industry, especially ours, the banking industry. It is imperative that we ensure availability of systems for the bank and its shareholders. After a successful two-year relationship with SafeGuard iT, we knew that they were incomparable in providing, managing and delivering this service," says Leon du Rand, Group Executive IT for Absa.
Bernard Vertenten, GM of SafeGuard iT, commented: "This is a great opportunity for SafeGuard iT. The financial services market has always been one of the most responsible industries when it comes to protecting information. It is good to see such a well known institution once again taking an active role in ensuring availability of customer data, systems and services."
Du Rand adds: "As a financial services organisation, we recognise the reality of our dependence on IT. As such, the need to contract for superior disaster recovery services is not negotiable. Good business governance dictates that a business must be proactive and ready to face the impact of disruption."
The services for Absa will be delivered from SafeGuard`s High-Availability Computer Facility (HACF) in Randburg, a bunker facility equipped with computer hardware, communications infrastructure and high-specification office workplace positions. As with all of SafeGuard iT`s recovery centres, each purpose-built suite contains up-to-date technology, with dual main power feeds, UPS, stand-by generators, and dual Telkom feeds to ensure a fail-safe power and communications supply in blast-proof buildings.
To ensure a high availability of data and information, Absa`s critical data will be remotely mirrored to SafeGuard iT`s premises, to be connected to the newly installed IBM z-Series Mainframe Server ensuring minimal disruption to customers` services in the event of a major disaster occurring at Absa`s primary computer facilities.
"Information is our business. In the event that information flows are disrupted or the people who manage these are affected, we are at risk of discontinuity in providing the level of service our customers have the right to expect. Business recovery specialist suppliers like SafeGuard iT play a critical role in the support of our plans and help underwrite our expectations for recovery in the event of disruption," concluded Du Rand.
Share
The AST Group is one of SA`s largest information and communication technology services companies independent of any vendor. It is the fourth largest company overall, by market capitalisation, listed in the technology sector of the JSE Securities Exchange.
The AST Group, operating from more than 60 sites, services large corporate and government clients throughout SA and has expanded to other Southern African states, Australia and the UK. Employing more than 3 500 ICT professionals, exploiting best-of-breed technology and applying international best practices, the AST Group provides services across the entire plan-build-run-leverage value creating cycle.
Editorial contacts