New Collaboration Between Atruvia AG and IBM Sets a Path for the Future of Banking Technology
In a significant move towards modernizing the banking infrastructure, Atruvia AG, the digitalization partner of the German Cooperative Financial Group, has embarked on a long-term partnership with IBM. This collaboration focuses on developing sustainable and advanced IT platforms designed to support the banking sector of the future. A pivotal element of this initiative is the adoption of IBM’s z17 mainframe, which was introduced earlier this year. This technology will play a crucial role in handling Atruvia’s critical operations, including its core banking systems. The strategic plan emphasizes modernization and the integration of hybrid cloud solutions to deliver top-notch services and a superior user experience. IBM’s comprehensive software and infrastructure portfolio will bolster this mission by enhancing automation, data management, and operational efficiency.
Key Aspects of the Collaboration
At the center of this collaboration is Atruvia’s need to maintain control and achieve technological interoperability. The partnership focuses on several critical areas:
- Data and Security: Atruvia is leveraging HashiCorp Vault along with IBM’s storage solutions to uphold high standards in securing and managing sensitive banking and customer data. This ensures that the data remains encrypted and securely stored within Atruvia’s data centers.
- Infrastructure: The deployment of IBM z17 in Atruvia’s data centers gives banks full control over their essential systems. This is supported by advanced security features such as confidential computing and quantum-safe encryption, coupled with integrated AI acceleration and sophisticated automation.
- Cloud Solutions: Utilizing Red Hat OpenShift as a foundation for hybrid cloud environments, Atruvia achieves flexibility and autonomy from specific cloud service providers. IBM offers solutions like Cognos for bank reporting and Planning Analytics for the Sales Cockpit, running on OpenShift. This approach enables developers to create and operate their software with confidence, both in data centers and across private and public clouds, all while adhering to open standards.
- Vendor Independence: By implementing IBM Turbonomic, Atruvia reduces technological dependencies by optimizing and dynamically managing workloads. Additionally, Apptio provides cost transparency and helps allocate dependencies on manufacturers in terms of value creation.
- Innovation: The collaboration grants Atruvia direct access to IBM’s research and development centers in Germany and Switzerland. This access allows Atruvia to tap into the latest technological innovations within a clear regulatory framework, enabling them to adopt and shape these advancements while ensuring local compliance.
Fostering Sustainability and Efficiency
Beyond enhancing operational autonomy, this partnership aligns with Atruvia’s sustainability goals. The IBM Z platform is engineered to minimize power consumption and operational energy demands while delivering exceptional performance, reliability, and security. Tools like IBM Turbonomic, Apptio, and HashiCorp Terraform are designed to ensure the efficient use of applications and infrastructure resources. Atruvia’s use of IBM Turbonomic has already resulted in a significant reduction in energy consumption by eliminating the need for approximately 1,000 physical servers, thereby cutting down the carbon footprint by around 20%.
A Long-term Vision for Innovation
The multi-year agreement between Atruvia and IBM establishes a solid framework for planning security and opens up new opportunities for applying innovative solutions. This includes everything from modernizing applications to introducing automation and AI-driven services. Through this partnership, IBM reaffirms its commitment to Germany as a strategic location. The newly established technology campus in Ehningen consolidates IBM’s headquarters, research and development center, and the first IBM Quantum Data Center in Europe under one roof.
Daniela Bücker, a member of the Atruvia Executive Board, expressed the company’s commitment to security, sustainability, and innovation. She emphasized that the collaboration with IBM ensures Atruvia’s future-readiness across multiple dimensions, from data and infrastructure sovereignty to cloud and innovation sovereignty. She noted that all parties involved benefit from the long-term nature of the contract.
Wolfgang Wendt, Chairman of the Board of IBM Deutschland GmbH and General Manager for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, shared his enthusiasm about partnering with Atruvia. He stated that the collaboration aims to significantly enhance operational autonomy and sustainability within the banking sector by leveraging IBM’s extensive hardware and software portfolio. This includes IBM z17, hybrid cloud solutions, automation, and data management tools, which together help Atruvia deliver stability, agility, and innovation across Germany’s banking sector.
About Atruvia AG
Atruvia AG serves as the digitalization partner for the Cooperative Financial Group, combining decades of expertise in banking and information technology. The company’s IT solutions and services, tailored specifically for banks, range from data center operations to banking processes and app development. Atruvia is committed to using forward-looking technologies like artificial intelligence and prioritizes process optimization and regulatory compliance. With administrative headquarters in Karlsruhe and Münster and branches in Munich, Frankfurt, and Berlin, Atruvia employs over 10,000 people. The company generates annual consolidated sales of approximately 2.2 billion euros. Atruvia’s clientele includes around 670 cooperative banks and regional credit unions in Germany, companies of the Cooperative Financial Group, and numerous private banks and enterprises from various sectors, including the ADAC. Atruvia supports about 155,000 banking workstations and manages nearly 91 million customer accounts. With over 26,000 self-service machines, Atruvia ensures a seamless cash supply across the nation.
For more information on this collaboration, you can visit the original announcement on IBM’s newsroom website.
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