Bank of Hawaii Finds a New Route to Check Storage

Bank Technology News | November, 2009

Providing access to years of check images can place a heavy demand on electronic filing devices, so Bank of Hawaii recently turned to a file system that creates a quickly accessible centralized view of tiered locations where check data is stored.

“An IT worker can look at a computer screen and see all storage devices visually,” says Bobby Moulton, president of Seven10, Bank of Hawaii’s storage software provider. Seven10’s technology partners include Metavante Solutions, which sells image-based check and remittance processing.

Seven10’s software, called the StorFirst EAS file system, is designed to help the bank in a couple of areas: Connecting the bank’s check imaging program to storage devices without resorting to an expensive project to provide virtual linkage; and allowing the bank to expand to additional storage devices as needed with minimal archiving effort.

It works by providing a unified view of image storage regardless of physical location or device type. Data is classified at its creation based on primary, secondary and archive locations; and is stored based on that classification—reducing back-up activities and decreasing bottlenecks. It also mitigates the “fragmented” environment that can result from moving data to additional electronic storage devices due to capacity issues.

“Nobody wants to store data in proprietary silos,” Moulton says, adding navigating fractured storage to access images can cause delays of up to five days. “When a branch or a customer or partner looks for a check image from the Bank of Hawaii, they are comfortable knowing that data is available at the click of a button.”