Writeimage CSB Pakistan-Based Bank Uses Middleware to Cut New Project Development Time

Microsoft Server Product Portfolio Customer Solution Case Study

Pakistan-Based Bank Uses Middleware to Cut Project Development Time by 40 Percent

“We estimate that we’ve cut our development timelines by 30 to 40 percent on average. BizTalk Server has liberated us in terms of time to market.” Syed Mujeeb, Head of IT Business Relationship Management & Software Services, United Bank Limited

Pakistan’s second-largest private commercial bank, United Bank Limited (UBL), had multiple systems that relied on hard-coded integration with other systems. This made it difficult to improve its products and delivery channels. The bank needed an enterprise service bus to increase its responsiveness. After implementing Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006, it was able to introduce new applications quickly and reduce its development time by up to 40 percent.

Business Needs and new products, including smart- In recent years, UBL has expanded card based credit cards. its business significantly in areas such as home loans, retail deposits, To continue its evolution into a market-leading bank using global

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published April 2010 best practice management structures Solution middleware foundation for all new and technology, it has invested in A number of companies were invited applications at UBL. Mujeeb says: extending its in-house development to demonstrate a proof of concept, “Working with the Microsoft team. This team is responsible for showing how their middleware consultants and partners, our IT responding to business requirements could help address the needs of team has gained the required skills such as product and delivery channel UBL. The bank considered to manage the architecture. We have enhancements to serve the bank’s technologies such as WebLogic and become largely self-sufficient in customers more efficiently. IBM WebSphere, but chose to use developing and adapting the But the development team was Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006, after applications we need to be finding it difficult to be responsive Microsoft demonstrated that it innovative and responsive to due to the bank’s rigid IT could implement the middleware customer needs.” infrastructure. Service delivery and integrate three of the bank’s key channels and business applications applications in just 30 days. Benefits had been developed in different With BizTalk Server 2006 as the basis programming languages over the Besides speed of integration, of its IT infrastructure, UBL has been years, and were running on a mixture another key reason for the decision able to reduce time spent on new of hardware and operating systems. was the orchestration feature in developments significantly. It has There was no effective middleware BizTalk Server. This helps business standardized its coding and and all applications were directly analysts and developers change benefited from greater re-use of linked with other systems they processes and application building application components. The needed to interact with through hard- blocks, without having to redesign development team can now be coded integration. an entire solution. much more responsive to business Faisal Anwar, Senior Vice President and customer needs, and plan ahead Syed Mujeeb, Head of IT Business and Head of IT Strategy, Planning to implement new technology that Relationship Management & and Operations at United Bank will serve the bank in the future. Software Services, United Bank Limited, says: “BizTalk Server Limited, explains: “Making provides secure inbound and Short time-to-market. With less modifications to any of our channels, outbound messages, helping coding required, the IT team can such as online banking or interactive integration with other systems. It add products and channels quickly. voice response (IVR) in call centers, also uses public key infrastructure to Mujeeb says: “We estimate that was time consuming and complex. offer security between external we’ve cut our development times by We needed middleware to help us partners by encrypting 30 to 40 percent on average. streamline all the interfaces, for both communications using X.509 BizTalk Server has liberated us in development and maintenance.” certificates.” terms of time to market. We can now launch whatever product the The organization looked for After the proof of concept, Microsoft bank wants to launch, in the shortest possible timeframe.” middleware that could make Services consultants provided Ease of management. The UBL IT integration between business additional training for the group is now self-sufficient, and its processes and delivery channels more developers. They also gave guidance flexible. Senior IT managers knew that in-house team of .NET developers and confirmation that the bank’s can easily handle most projects with the right enterprise service bus planned architecture was future- without external technical support. and architecture, they could be much proof and complied with best Mujeeb says: “Development more responsive in making the bank’s practice for service-oriented projects are now standardized and innovative ideas happen, and reduce architecture. based on common objects. Data time to market for new products and movement is also more reliable.” services. Since BizTalk Server was Technology-independence. The implemented, it has become the middleware works with applications

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published April 2010 based on any technology, supporting system, as well as other load times and the interfaces that are elements of the bank’s previous IT applications.” currently running,” says Anwar. “As environment and also helping the Ease of operations. BizTalk Server a result, the team can identify when bank to add services easily. Mujeeb not only gives the bank a flexible the system is busy, or has been says: “After implementing BizTalk architecture, it also employs a suspended, allowing them to Server, we could quickly introduce a unified IT management console, manage connections, monitor new IVR system for our contact which provides the UBL operations system performance, and improve centre. We’re also using BizTalk team with a single-window view for overall system efficiency.” Server to integrate our new core monitoring processes. “This gives banking system with the existing the team a better sense of system

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published April 2010