Summary
- Around 16000 banks around the world rely on the IBM AS400 iSeries system. Why? Because IBM iSeries can address the needs of banks indisputably and offer flexible and cost-effective AS/400 solutions.
- The system is known for its security, reliability, and availability, and it supports multiple operating systems single-handedly.
- If you want to make the most of your IBM AS 400 investments, you must consider comprehensive AS400 services by AS400 consultants.
Hey, fellow AS400 enthusiasts in the banking sector!
The world’s leading banking institutions continue to favor IBM iSeries and IBM banking solutions for their critical operations.
Ever wondered, why?
For decades, AS/400 has been the heart and soul of banking operations. It has single-handedly managed endless volumes of data and transactions with reliability that’s unrivaled.
Yet, some banks are ending their contract with the iSeries system or looking for ways to optimize it – owing to the challenges posed by the system.
We have written this blog for bank executives and other IT experts in the banking sector looking for extraordinary IBM banking solutions to solve their IBM banking challenges.
Are you also looking to optimize your AS400 banking system?
Sit back and relax! Today, we explore –
- What are the AS 400 system challenges of the banking sector?
- How AS400 services turn down your IBM banking challenges?
- What’s the role of IBM AS400 iSeries in the banking sector?
- What is its future?
- Which AS400 Consultant in the USA offers the best IBM banking solutions? And much more on your way.
Let’s get going, shall we?
But First, Let’s Quickly Explore the Role IBM AS400 iSeries Has Played in the Banking Sector. Where Does It Stand Today?
The IBM AS400 iSeries system has the world’s most diverse portfolio for banking solutions even after 2 decades. It offers unparalleled freedom to bank executives, such as you, to build suitable applications and processes for their unique banking needs.
IBM AS 400 provides integrated, secure capabilities to help your bank grow cost-effectively. IBM AS400 is meant to streamline banking infrastructure and operations, so your bank can save money and invest in expanding itself in the industry.
IBM iSeries has solved lots of challenges for banks, such as –
- Increasing return on investment
- Addressing government regulations
- Ensuring optimal resource utilization
- Driving down business operations costs
- Ensuring business continuity in critical situations, plus more.
The IBM AS400 system is a savior. It is helping banks of all sizes to maintain their complex business demands within a streamlined business environment.
IBM iSeries is well known for its security, and in comparison, to other available options, the safety of AS/400 is easy to implement and manage, offering a reliable safety net to fall back on.
With IBM AS400 on board, banks, such as yours, can secure their business records, client data, and transactions against inside and outside breaches. And the ahead–of–its time technology prevents valuable customer data tampering and reduces the risk of fraud, which is the most important operational aspect for a bank.
Enough with the positives of AS/400 for banks.
Today, leaders from the AS400 banking industry are facing a lot of challenges collectively, and those challenges are causing a huge hurdle in the banking business. (And that’s what has led you to this read.)
Challenges like security, scalability, integration, and whatnot.
Relax! We understand your challenges, and we can assure you that there is a surefire way to turn them down.
How?
With dedicated AS400 Services and expert solutions by AS400 experts.
But before exploring AS/400 services, let’s first look at the common challenges faced by IBM AS400 banking users, such as yourself.
Common AS400 Banking Challenges Faced by Leaders
In the era of Information Technology, banks that rely on AS400 systems often find themselves struggling with unique challenges.
Let’s look at the common IBM AS/400 challenges faced by banks and financial institutions.
#Challenge 1: High Dependency on Legacy Hardware and Software
Many AS400 banking institutions are struggling with a major challenge – their heavy reliance on legacy IBM i hardware and software. Yet even in 2024, many leaders are reluctant to part ways with these familiar systems and embrace modernization.
AS/400 is great but not enough to meet today’s banking needs independently.
As a result, leaders, like yourself, often complain about frequent downtimes, hardware failures, lost productivity, and performance bottlenecks.
#Challenge 2: Adapting AS400 Systems to Meet Modern Banking Demands
In 2024, banking leaders using AS400 core banking system often wonder “how to update these older systems to meet today’s unique needs.”
You must integrate the banking system with emerging technologies securely while keeping an eye on the changing customer needs and government rules.
Sounds like a challenge, doesn’t it?
This challenge is about finding solutions to boost revenue while ensuring your AS400 systems can handle modern banking needs without dropping off performance or risking security.
#Challenge 3: Scarcity of AS400 Experts
Another crucial challenge encountered by AS400 banking system users is – a shrinking talent pool.
What makes this challenge so difficult is –
- Finding AS400 experts who possess expertise in both AS-400 systems and the banking domain.
- Experienced AS/400 programmers on the verge of retirement age, leaving a knowledge gap.
- Improper or outdated documentation of system configurations.
- In-house IBM iSeries resources dedicated to AS400 lack the knowledge and expertise required for modernization.
- High costs of hiring, training, and retaining vetted IBM i experts further intensifying this complexity.
#Challenge 4: Never-ending security concerns
Another significant obstacle is the security of AS400 banking software.
Today, staying ahead of cyber villains is the name of the game. Yet banks are struggling to protect their valuable data and financial transactions from sophisticated breaches and threats.
Undeniably, AS400 banking users benefit from its built-in security features and unique architecture. However, it is not immune to modern-day vulnerabilities. Thus, you need advanced security features to ensure end-to-end protection and peace of mind.
#Challenge 5: Addressing Government Regulations with Business Continuity
The government puts regulations on banks to ensure proper functioning and adherence to the laws. Regulations such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the PATRIOT Act are very critical to banks, and there are many more to come.
The AS400 systems challenge this effort due to their inherent complexity in aligning with modern regulatory standards.
Thus, banking leaders, like you, are always in search of ways to respond quickly to these regulations in an error-free way. While relying on IBM AS400 systems for fast and efficient processing of operations.
Could you relate to any of these challenges?
You’re not alone.
Thankfully for you, there exists a range of IBM banking solutions and services to address your unique business challenges.
These solutions can be customized to optimize your AS400 banking system as per your business needs.
Up next, let’s discover how AS400 services turn your challenges into solutions.
How Do AS400 Services Fuel the Success of Banking Institutions?
The AS/400 solutions have revolutionized the way banks respond to various challenges. Challenges like driving down business costs, maximizing investments in AS400 technology, and staying competitive and agile in this dynamic financial environment.
Let’s look at them one by one.
AS400 Automation Services for Automating Processing and Compliance Tasks
The best way for banks to increase revenue is to expand business in non-traditional areas.
Like a bank, you always need to search for ways to establish yourself as a complete financial center. You can provide modern banking services, along with additional services like – insurance, stocks, and investment services.
With AS/400 automation services on board, your bank can handle multiple services through automation capabilities of the AS400 software and increase revenue.
Here’s an example for better understanding.
For instance, by replacing manual loan approval processes, AS 400 automation services help your bank process loan applications faster. This attracts more loan applications and boosts revenue through prompt service delivery.
Likewise, you can also automate compliance tasks and catch far more issues than if you were doing it manually.
AS400 Cloud Migration Services to Reduce Infrastructure Costs for Banks
AS400 cloud migration refers to the process of migrating your digital assets such as applications, data, and workflows from IBM server to the cloud.
The popular benefits of AS400 banking cloud migration are greater scalability and ease of accessibility, but it has much more than that.
With AS400 migration to the cloud, you get to experience –
- Flexibility by enabling secure online banking services.
- Agility by deploying new banking and financial services quickly.
- Cost efficiency by reducing infrastructure expenses and maintenance costs.
- Greater security by providing a safer environment for data storage and access.
Let’s understand this better with the help of an illustration.
For example, by migrating your AS400 IBM banking solutions to the Microsoft Azure Cloud you opened a door for:
- Better customer service through faster transaction processing
- Seamless integration with 3rd party digital banking platforms
- Scalability to meet growth and evolving customer demands
- Personalized banking experiences, and more.
Opportunities that were once closed due to AS/400 infrastructure limitations.
AS400 Consulting Services for Specialized Knowledge and strategic guidance
Having access to the robust IBM i technologies is one thing, and knowing how to maximize their potential for your banking organization is another.
This is when AS400 consulting for the banking industry comes into the picture.
It aims to fix the root cause of your challenges and not simply mask the symptoms temporarily.
A reliable AS400 consultant leverages their balanced understanding of banking and AS 400 to offer the consulting aid, guidance, or support you are seeking.
Let’s understand the contribution of AS400 consulting with an example.
Assume that your bank is struggling with the Dodd-Frank Act’s comprehensive risk management and reporting requirements.
An AS400 consultant walks in, examines the issue, and integrates advanced risk analytics tools into your AS400 systems. This has allowed you real-time monitoring of risk exposure across diverse portfolios and accurate compliance reports.
That was about IBM banking solutions and services offered by AS400 service providers.
Up next, let’s sneap a peak into AS400 as a core banking solution, its present and future.
IBM AS/400 iSeries: Core Banking Solution
IBM AS/400 is the leading business system for banks that want a simplified approach, value integration, and support several services.
The IBM AS400 system is specially designed to integrate with the latest banking technologies and extensively work with them.
The iSeries provides a faster, reliable, and highly secured way for banks, like yours, to simplify their business environment by decreasing the number of required servers. Furthermore, the IBM AS/400 also helps you optimize the efficiency ratio, save money, and improve ROI.
The key strength of IBM AS400 in the banking sector begins with the suitable banking environment. A suitable environment refers to a robust setup that offers required security, scalability, reliability, and availability.
These key features of IBM AS/400 iSeries have attracted over 16000 banks to use this technology in their banking system.
The way forward…
The IBM AS400 iSeries has provided a clear roadmap for the future. For the past 30 years, IBM has been consistently delivering world-class services and releasing continuous upgrades for its hardware and software products.
IBM AS/400 has full control over its future strategy and product direction. With business-driven, secure, and reliable solutions, IBM AS400 is perfectly positioned to solve the banking industry’s challenges.
IBM AS400 iSeries Value in Banking Industry
- AS400 iSeries is tested by IBM
- It’s the integrated server of IBM
- IBM iSeries is reliable, and robust technology
- From top to bottom, IBM provides services and support, along with channel partners.
IBM Technology in Banking
- IBM AS400 features 1-way to 64-way binary compatible scalability
- Integrated with i5 operating system
IBM AS400 Security and Availability
- 24*7*365 Availability
- High-level security that is easy to manage
Security and Reliability Stature of IBM AS400 for Banks
IBM AS400 iSeries is a completely secure, time-proven, and reliable technology. It can help your banking institution with the security compliance process and secure customer data with built-in advanced security features.
The AS400 software is entirely virus resistant and capable of avoiding productivity loss. Yet, it’s ideal to add an extra layer of protection with AS/400 support to ensure end-to-end security and peace of mind.
- The AS/400 iSeries systems are designed to add new hardware or features to the existing setup without any disruption and exceed the uptime up to 99.9%.
- Have a look at some of its features for AS400 core banking system:
- The AS400 iSeries banking system comes with i5/OS and a real-time virus scanning interface.
- The IBM iSeries has the highest bank vertical client satisfaction rate in the industry.
- The AS400 systems vigorously protects the user investments and user skills, as it does not require application recompiling after every update.
- The software comes with the ability to run the business application without recompilation on the upcoming OS or server.
- IBM AS400 support is available for premium users worldwide.
- The reliability of AS400 systems is well known worldwide; additionally, it comes with an integrated design feature to provide continuous availability.
Optimizing Banking Solutions with IBM AS400
IBM AS 400 iSeries are specially designed with all necessary modules like operating system, hardware, security, storage, and middleware to support a bank process.
All the modules are thoroughly tested, and IBM ensures that all the functions work seamlessly and cohesively before releasing them into the market for bank usage.
IBM has an extensive group of independent software vendors that provide AS400 solutions. Moreover, the reliability and security of IBM systems are well known, and that is why 16000+ banks worldwide rely on IBM AS400 iSeries for their business process. The reason behind this overall success is unmatched support from IBM to the banking institutions.
Banks acquire or merge with other banks to drive down the cost of doing business. They come together and reduce dependability on IT resources and staffing, which ultimately reduces the business operations cost. Banks often arrive at a less complex IT environment and operate with reduced staff.
However, in such an environment, banks are expected to provide a high level of services. All such factors and issues affect the efficiency ratio of banks (how the bank fiscally manages its business).
IBM AS400 can also help you in enabling a high level of services, as it will reduce the time spent on unnecessary tasks, shrink the chances of human error, and improve overall operations through automation.
This brings us to a reliable IBM AS400 service provider who offers core banking services to clients around the world.
Integrative Systems: AS400 Banking Technology Partner of Your Choice in the USA
We’re sure that you have gained valuable insights into the challenges of AS400 banking leaders and the leverage that you get with AS400 services for banking.
As a silver business partner of IBM, at Integrative Systems, we have worked with several financial and banking industry experts worldwide facing various IBM iSeries concerns. If you are also facing AS400-related concerns within your organization, it’s better to talk to us now than later.
Think we are the match?
Have a look at AS400 for banking services offered by us:
- AS400 Consulting
- AS400 Integration
- AS400 Automation
- AS400 Cloud Migration
- IBM iSeries Modernization
- AS400 Support & Maintenance
- AS400 Application GUI Modernization
- And lastly, Hire iSeries Developers On-demand
Drop us a line at [email protected] with your queries and our IBM AS400 experts will get back to you within 2 business days.