The Hokuriku Bank, Ltd.

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Integrated management of large-scale network systems encompassing everything from mainframes to banking terminals

Feature Story of Middleware Products for the Broadband Internet Age

The Hokuriku Bank implemented a complete restructuring of its accounting and information systems. A large-scale LAN-WAN-LAN network system was constructed, and Fujitsu's integrated operation management software Systemwalker was used to perform integrated management of the distributed system. With just a single integrated management console, it became possible to perform tasks ranging from execution and performance monitoring through to remote maintenance of both mainframes and up to 1300 clients consisting largely of PC-based online terminals.

The financial world is experiencing a period of dramatic change, as evidenced by the succession of new mega-banks and the entry into the financial arena of business corporations whose activities go beyond their business type. Add to this the increasing penetration of Internet trading, and it is clear that the needs of bank customers are becoming more and more diversified.

"Since its establishment in 1877, The Hokuriku Bank has valued a positive enterprising spirit," asserts Mr. Shin-ichi Yamagishi, Deputy General Manager of the Systems and Controls Department of Hokuriku Bank. Even a regional bank like The Hokuriku Bank must support the infrastructure of regional economies from a global perspective while it maintains its own locality as the focus of its activities.

"We have to build a foundation that can consolidate information networks and expand the channels that connect us with our customers," explained Mr. Yamagishi. "In 1997 we embarked upon the development of a new system dubbed 'New Century Project 21' or 'NCP21'. This system began operations in January 2001."

"The new system had to satisfy three requirements. The first was to extend service hours. Infrastructure had to support around-the-clock operation, 365 days a year. Active support also had to be provided for increased ATM and Internet usage. The second requirement was to replace business office terminals with PC-based online terminals, and to construct an information system by means of a company-wide LAN using notebook PCs, etc. The third requirement was to improve network speed to support the increased volume of data resulting from the aforementioned expansion and improvement of the information system. It was also necessary to install the latest communication technologies and use lines that were both efficient and inexpensive."

The new business office system that began being introduced in January 2001 is a large-scale client/server system that connects approximately 1000 banking terminals in 190 business offices around Japan to a Fujitsu mainframe, and manages an information system consisting of approximately 200 PCs by using business office servers.

"It grew into an extremely large-scale LAN-WAN-LAN system comprising approximately 700 routers and 400 hubs," explained Mr. Yasunori Ishikuro, General Manager of the System Planning and Management Department of Hokugin Software Corporation, which undertakes all system development work for The Hokuriku Bank.

An increase in the number of network devices managed by the client/server system and extended service hours represents a sudden increase in the operation management load.

This is when attention focused on Fujitsu's integrated operation management software "Systemwalker", which is capable of large-scale integrated monitoring. Mr. Manabu Takata, Manager of the Systems and Controls Department of The Hokuriku Bank, explains: "Our mainframe-based online system had been using Fujitsu products over many years, and we had established a relationship based on trust. Also, because our aim was to perform integrated management of the mainframes and the entire network, we were depending more broadly on Fujitsu's extensive capability to provide support and advice."

"The 'integrated management' that The Hokuriku Bank was aiming for was profound. In addition to mainframes, they wanted to perform integrated monitoring of business office servers, online terminals and the network. And they did not want to restrict themselves to execution monitoring, but integrate performance monitoring and operation management as well. They also had a strong desire to accomplish the monitoring and management of this large-scale network system by using a single integrated management console."

The Hokuriku Bank uses Systemwalker CentricMGR to detect faults and malfunctions. Systemwalker CentricMGR agents are installed in banking terminals as well as servers, and they make it possible to conduct end-to-end monitoring of the operational status of the entire system.

The performance of business office servers is also monitored by using Systemwalker CentricMGR in combination with Systemwalker PerfMGR. Because it is possible to perform continuous monitoring of performance information such as network traffic information and CPU utilization rates, it is also possible to implement capacity planning, which senses and handles performance deterioration before it becomes noticeable. When faults or malfunctions do occur, Systemwalker CentricMGR's remote maintenance capabilities can be used to carry out restoration work. This means that no load is placed on the server management of the business offices, and there is no need for information system department staff to travel to the affected site.

To achieve integrated management, thorough consideration was given to the organization and functions of the integrated management console screen. The main feature of the console is its ability to display execution monitoring, performance monitoring and operation management on a single screen. Remote maintenance can be performed on the screen that is used to check operational status.

"We tried using an integrated management console in the past," explained Mr. Takata, "but display response was slow and we were not able to reduce the number of unwanted messages. This time we were able to construct an integrated console screen that did not display less important information because Fujitsu cooperated with us in every aspect, and even provided detailed customizations."

The console also has another role. The Hokuriku Bank had been using a mainframe to manage definition information relating to the operation management of online terminals. They wanted to use a mainframe to manage Systemwalker definition information as well, and to send instructions to operation management servers when required. "Due to the mission-critical nature of the bank's online system, we were very particular about conducting centralized management from a main center. Fujitsu responded to this need by developing an interface for connecting from the mainframe to Systemwalker servers," explained Mr. Ishikuro.

The installation and thorough utilization of Systemwalker have given The Hokuriku Bank a system that can perform operation management of a large-scale network system without any increase in the number of personnel. Service hours have been extended to 7:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. every day of the year without any change in the number of staff members.

"Execution monitoring, performance monitoring and operation management of locations extending from the three prefectures in the Hokuriku region up to Hokkaido can be accomplished using a single integrated management console, and the same essential staff as before can carry out remote maintenance without any restrictions," explained Mr. Yamagishi. "Centralized monitoring has also been most satisfactory," he added with a smile.

The Hokuriku Bank is planning to improve messages to make them easier to understand, and to master Systemwalker PerfMGR's capacity planning functions thoroughly to reduce labor and further enjoy the benefits of the new system installation.

"The bank would like to minimize the labor associated with the operation management of the system. Fujitsu flexibly enhanced the automation and efficiency aspects of the system, and we have a high regard for their wide-ranging expertise," concluded Mr. Takata.

The Hokuriku Bank has achieved both management of its mission-critical applications and efficient system operation, and it will continue to strive to further enhance its services

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User Profile

The Hokuriku Bank, Ltd.
(Information current to 30 September 2001)
Head office: 2-26, Tsutsumicho-dori 1-chome, Toyama City, Toyama, Japan
Established: 1877
Capital: 120 billion yen
Balance of deposits: 5425 billion yen
Number of employees: 3381
Number of business offices: 190 (including 32 sub-branches)
Business overview:
The Hokuriku Bank operates as a regional bank according to the philosophy that
"Regional development is at the heart of our own development." It strives to
respond quickly to diversifying customer needs while managing to provide high-
quality, comprehensive financial services to the region.