Akbank

Akbank orchestrates harmonious data center operations in IT Symphony project.

Outcomes

+ Significantly reduced risk by automating compliance.
+ Minimized human errors by standardizing IT processes.
+ Saved 15,000 human-hours weekly during work-from-home COVID-19 period.

Challenge

Increase IT efficiency and reduce compliance risks.

Details

About Akbank

Akbank is one of the largest and most established banks in Turkey. Founded in 1948, Akbank is known for its innovative financial offerings and powerful financial structure. It has been named “Best Bank of Turkey” by Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2020 14 times.

Improving IT Efficiency and Ensuring Compliance

To bring project Symphony to life, Akbank used Micro Focus Data Center Automation with Server Automation and Operations Orchestration. The goals were clear at the onset: enable the IT infrastructure team to use their time as efficiently as possible and achieve full compliance.

The project began with the creation of a central automation team of six people. This team analyzed all manual IT processes, standardized them as needed, and then mapped them to automation tools. IT processes with higher expected savings took priority. Standard orchestration flows were used to automate provisioning, patching, and compliance controls across a heterogeneous environment of many major vendors’ operating systems, databases, and middleware. Additional customized flows for infrastructure planning, test automation integration, and license and capacity management were also developed. Automation for compliance included CIS benchmarks, compliance for patching, and custom controls for internal audits.

Project Symphony Delivers a Master Performance

Initiated in August 2018, project Symphony was completed in eight short months, with outstanding results.

“We saved an average of 5,000 human hours per week in 2019. The savings soared to 15,000 human hours per week during remote working periods due to COVID-19 in 2020.”

Bülent Saltürk – SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT IT OPERATIONS AND SYSTEMS SUPPORT
Akbank

By automating and standardizing processes, the bank eliminated manual errors and reduced the risks associated with manual procedures.

Running compliance controls in the bank’s large-scale infrastructure once required serious effort. Now automation makes it possible to continually run compliance controls and easily generate compliance reports.

“Achieving successful outcomes at the end of a harmonious collaboration is very important for us,” said Deniz Kırca, Micro Focus Turkey general manager. “Our collaboration with Akbank – through project Symphony – paved the way for a highly efficient, high-performing orchestrated data center. We look forward to continuing this powerful collaboration.”

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