UAE’s First Gulf Bank has enhanced the storage and back-up of its critical data with the deployment of EMC-networked storage systems and data protection solutions.

The EMC technology will provide First Gulf Bank with enhanced performance as well as back up and recovery for core banking systems, helping the bank to provide seamless customer service and to meet international banking regulations.

The new storage area network (SAN) will greatly improve First Gulf Bank’s system availability and the bank’s ability to consistently and automatically back-up its data, and to rapidly recover that data and restore systems when necessary.

The solution is based on an EMC Symmetrix DMX-3 networked storage system, which has been deployed at First Gulf Bank’s main data center at its Abu Dhabi headquarters.

The bank has also deployed an EMC backup solution including the industry-leading EMC NetWorker backup and recovery software along with network attached storage (NAS) gateways for file sharing – two EMC Celerra NS42G systems. A second EMC Symmetrix DMX-3 has also been deployed offsite, with EMC Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF) software, which enables high-performance remote replication for business continuity in case of any unplanned outage at First Gulf Bank.

“First Gulf Bank selected EMC to improve the overall management of its banking information. We wanted an information infrastructure which is highly scalable to meet the very aggressive growth plans of the bank. We also needed robust back-up and recovery processes, and systems that would help us to provide superior products and services to our customers, in order to help enhance their banking relationships with us,” said Rambabu, head of IT, First Gulf Bank.

Rambabu continued: “EMC and Condo-Protego were chosen, following a rigorous assessment process, because of these companies’ reputations in the financial sector, technology and market leadership, and strong team in the Middle East.”

The deployment of the project and support was carried out by EMC, with additional technical services from local reseller Condo Protego.

“First Gulf Bank completed an exhaustive selection process during which time we were delighted to have worked so closely with their team. This relationship has been built upon to ensure the smoothest of installations,” said Andrew Calthorpe, CEO, and Condo-Protego.

“First Gulf Bank has undertaken the necessary steps to create a world-class storage infrastructure to manage the data of its customers in the Middle East. EMC counts most of the top banks in the region as our customers, so we understand their business requirements and challenges, and how proper management of their corporate data can position them to enhance customer service, be more competitive, and be prepared for regulatory and compliance issues,” said Mohammed Amin, general manager, Middle East and North Africa, EMC.-TradeArabia News Service