IDBI Bank dares to try a new ATM
switch
Venkatachari Jagannathan
1 August 2001
IDBI Bank has done it again
dared to be different, that is! After having gone off the beaten track by trying a
new banking software, Finacle, it is now trying, again for the first time in the
country, a new ATM switch. Its existing Interlink switches, called CR2, are to be replaced
with the Canadian-made Oasis switches. Canada-based Oasis Technology has been supplying its ATM switches to over 70
countries. Oasis is also engaged in e-commerce, electronic funds transfer (EFT), ATM,
online switching products, card management and clearing and settlement solution for
financial services, retail etc sectors. The company today has operations in around 70
countries.
Earlier addressing the media Mr. Shameek Bhargava, head - ATMs and card products, IDBI
Bank said the bank migrated to Oasis architecture as it is earlier product - Interlink- is
a proprietary technology.
Continuing further he added, "We decided to move away from proprietary technology as
Oasis is open architecture that is scalable and would result in reduction in ATM network
operating costs in the long run by 30 per cent." As an open system Oasis is hardware
independent and can run on IBM, HP or Sun machines.
Oasis switches are understood to have the capacity to recognize multiple hosts and
transfer data accordingly. The system is said to be compatible with the banking
industry's' ATM network Swadhan, thus ensuring that even a non- IDBI Bank ATM card holder
can transact business without any hitch.
The Oasis switch is being
distributed in the country by the Chennai-based HMA STARware, which has also supplied the
bank with Concenter an ATM monitoring system from Datawest Solutions Inc., Canada.
The Oasis switch and `Concenter' according to Mr. Bhargava enables the bank to introduce
newer retail products based on ATMs.
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