Company
Andhra Bank

Location
Hyderabad

Web www.andhrabank.in

Profile
Andhra Bank is a household name in Andhra Pradesh and has the distinction of being 100 percent computerized. The bank is also a pioneer in several fields, including extensive adoption of IT, introduction of credit cards in the country, rural banking and inclusive growth.

Andhra Bank has a clientele of over 1.50 crore and its total business stood at Rs 68,466 crore in June this year. The bank renders its services through 1,981 business delivery channels consisting of 1,303 branches, 99 extension counters, 541 ATMs and 38 satellite offices spread over 21 states and two union territories.

Current IT infrastructure of the company
All branches are 100 percent computerized. 1,124 units, 1,026 branches, 83 extension counters, 15 service centers are networked under the cluster banking solution and provide 'any branch banking (ABB)' option to customers. Real time gross settlement (RTGS) facility and national electronic fund transfer (NEFT) facility has been introduced in 650 branches. To provide value-added services to customers, the bank has set-up its own 541 ATMs in June. ATM sharing arrangements with several banks including SBI, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, UTI Bank, HDFC Bank, Indian Bank, Corporation Bank and 17 other banks under national financial switch provide bank customers access to 17,000 ATMs throughout the country.

Proposed IT infrastructure for 2007
Andhra Bank would work with Hewlett-Packard (HP) India, as its partner and implement a comprehensive core banking solution (CBS). Infosys' finacle core banking solution will be deployed over a five-year period. This initiative will enable Andhra Bank achieve significant cost advantages and better business outcomes in the dynamic and competitive banking arena in India. Under the terms of the contract, HP will implement and manage CBS across Andhra Bank branches in the country.

The CBS implementation using HP OpenBank reference architecture on HP's computing technology will help the bank's customers in India, access its products and services on a 24x7 basis.

As part of the contract, HP will provide adaptive infrastructure based on HP integrity servers, HP BladeSystems, HP storage and software. Also included are datacenter services that will help mitigate risk, improve security, lower management and operational costs for the bank. In addition, HP will also implement delivery channels, risk management and compliance, asset liability management and credit appraisal solutions. HP services will implement the entire application stack and deliver SLA-based managed services for the contract period.

Current systems suppliers
A host of IT vendors. HP and its network of alliances are critical for integrated deployment of requisite applications.

Qualities they look for in a supplier
Systems suppliers need to cater to the bank's needs for timely delivery of services and support in order to enable its future growth plans.

Subbalakshmi BM
subbalakshmibm@cybermedia.co.in

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