IBM announced that Westpac New Zealand has renewed its strategic information technology (IT) outsourcing agreement for a further five years to 2017. Under the new contract, which expands on an agreement first signed in 2000, IBM will deploy new technologies to improve customer service and sustainability, and upgrade existing systems.

IBM has prime responsibility for Westpac's key IT infrastructure services, including mainframes and midrange systems, storage, security, data center raised floor services, data center network services, workplace services, and workplace printing.

Under the new agreement, IBM will provide a range of advanced technologies which, together with the existing environment, will create additional synergies, flexibility and choice for users. New IBM z196 mainframes will provide greater resilience and increased capacity to support Westpac's continued growth while virtualized midrange servers and storage solutions will reduce CPU power demands and overall data center footprint. In addition, enhanced security and data center network technology will continue to ensure a highly secure and resilient network. The deployment of the IBM technology will support the low risk transformation to new data center facilities.  

The new IBM agreement represents a solution that underpins the Westpac NZ IT strategy providing a robust and resilient platform for the future, including an upgrade of the underlying IT Infrastructure.  It provides the upgrade path for Westpac's workplace environment, ensuring the latest technology is deployed and there is a migration path to the latest operating systems.  New automation tools for provisioning and managing the overall IT environment will be implemented, improving the time to market for new IT solutions in the Bank as well as ensuring the systems remain stable and secure.

The agreement, signed in September 2011, supports the Bank's technology transformation program and will deliver greater consistency across Westpac NZ vendors and the Westpac Group.

"Westpac is pleased to renew what has proved to be a successful and constructive long term relationship. It supports the Bank's strategy of making it easier and faster and providing an experience that delights our customers," said Jim Stabback, General Manager Customer& Technology Services, Westpac.

"The new agreement builds on our mutual experience since 2000 and will lead to an even closer alignment of IT services with the needs of Westpac's employees and customers as our collective team works together to deliver on the bank's IT vision," said Andrew Fox, General Manager, Global Technical Services, IBM New Zealand. "The ongoing investment by Westpac in advanced technologies will positively differentiate its brand in many ways such as higher energy savings and improved customer service."