Hitachi Supports Disaster Recovery Operations for Higo Bank's Core System With Data Center Switch

Hitachi's Collaboration with Higo Bank for Disaster Resilience

In a significant move for operational resilience, Hitachi, Ltd. has recently conducted disaster recovery operations for Higo Bank's core system, running from May 18 to May 24. This exercise took place across two domestic data centers, a strategic initiative aimed at ensuring robust operations during adverse conditions.

The primary focus was to simulate the process of switching operations from the primary data center, where the core banking system, known as 'Banks’ware for Open Platform,' is typically housed, to a secondary center. This transition spanned multiple consecutive weekdays, rather than the usual limited weekend testing, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of the system's functioning under service continuity parameters.

Higo Bank had previously tested system functionality in the secondary center only on weekends to assess the resilience of their equipment and conduct switch training. However, this recent exercise marked a groundbreaking achievement, confirming that all banking operations could remain stable and fully functional even in the secondary center during weekdays. This development is crucial as it verifies the bank's preparedness for rapid service recovery in the event of a disaster, fulfilling vital requirements set out in their Business Continuity Plan (BCP).

With the increasing frequency of unpredictable natural disasters, the demands for financial institutions to enhance their disaster preparedness strategies have intensified. There is now a heightened emphasis on bolstering BCP and ensuring operational resilience (BCO), alongside navigating the complexities of disaster response scenarios. Many institutions face challenges with their current emergency backup centers, which are often designed for minimal operation and scaling down of services, making it tough to switch all operations to a backup center in times of crisis.

In July 2019, Higo Bank implemented 'Banks’ware for Open Platform' to strengthen operational continuity during severe disasters. This state-of-the-art core system employs a dual data center structure that allows seamless service delivery and immediate switching capabilities. By capitalizing on real-time data replication features, data and logs generated in the first center can be virtually duplicated in the second. This connection ensures swift service recovery, allowing Higo Bank to provide secure and efficient banking services to its customers even during emergencies.

With the successful conclusion of this operational test, Hitachi demonstrated that Higo Bank can deliver its comprehensive range of services from the secondary center over multiple consecutive days, ensuring readiness in the face of calamity. This initiative not only underscores Hitachi's commitment to innovation and support for local financial institutions but also exemplifies their role in establishing sustainable, safe, and secure banking services.

Going forward, Hitachi plans to continue assisting regional financial institutions in addressing diverse challenges by leveraging solutions like 'Banks’ware for Open Platform'. Their ongoing commitment to enhancing financial service platforms will contribute significantly to the evolution of resilient banking infrastructures in Japan and beyond.

For further inquiries about 'Banks’ware for Open Platform' offered by Hitachi, the following contact information is available:
Hitachi, Ltd.
Department of Financial Systems
1-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8220, Japan
Contact Form: Hitachi Finance Inquiry