Client clout still counts in the cloud

Beverley Head
Sunday, 26 June 2011 17:17

Business IT - Networking

Fujitsu, which is providing the local cloud computing platform to support Westpac's collaboration applications, has added extra security levels to its cloud in order to meet the bank's requirements. But it will be the standard cloud that's offered to most other clients, proving that client clout still counts in the cloud.

While cloud providers trumpet the utility nature of their offerings, there are still plenty of examples of big spending end users being able to demand special terms or tailored offerings. Westpac for example wanted to use a locally provided cloud, but only once the access controls had been tightened to its specifications.

On Friday Westpac CIO Bob McKinnon confirmed that as part of the $1 billion five year contract for computer services which is led by IBM, the bank would access Microsoft's collaboration software as a cloud service running on Fujitsu's locally sourced cloud. He noted that because of regulatory requirements the bank was not able to access the services via Microsoft's own cloud, which would have meant storing Westpac data in Singapore.

Instead IBM, Fujitsu and Microsoft have agreed to work together so that the collaboration suite can be offered from Fujitsu's Australian based cloud but through the IBM five year contract. According to Martin Clarke, general manager of banking and finance for Fujitsu, by March next year 'All the bank's employees will be using collaboration in the cloud' - a population of 40,000 users and 50,000 accounts he said.

Mr McKinnon, speaking at a CEDA lunch on Friday said the bank would 'Migrate our current collaboration services, predominantly email and diary to the Microsoft collaboration suite and then deliver it as one global platform. This is particularly unique - Westpac is the first Australian financial services business to acquire collaboration software as a service from the cloud on this scale.

'To achieve this Fujitsu will build and operate a cloud based on Microsoft , but based on security controls aligned to Westpac standards. IBM will provide integration with other Westpac components and integration into our service framework. '