BANK tech-trends News
 

May 11, 2009 - May 15, 2009

• Hardware News
• Software Updates
• ATMs/Kiosks
• Biometric Digest Highlights
• Wireless World
• Security Section
• Leaders Roundtable
• Technology and Marketing
• Online Banking/E-Commerce/
  Website Design
• Internet Access
• Call Centers

Hardware News

Storage company LaCie announced the availability of two new high-capacity Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices, the “Big Disk Network” and “d2 Network.” Both NAS devices can be used in small to medium sized offices that want to develop workgroup environments for up to 50 users, plus network administrators can choose from various security levels for user profiles, groups, and public or guest access. The d2 Network supports up to 1.5TB capacity, while the Big Disk Network combines two drives in a RAID 0 setting for up to 4TB of storage. Both come loaded with LaCie’s Network Assistant software for configuration and Genie Backup Manager Pro for Windows, and feature Active Directory support.

In a related story, Seagate has come out with their BlackArmor NAS 440 aimed at small businesses with 50 or fewer employees. BlackArmor, a Linux-based appliance, includes fully enabled drive trays for easy expansion, a print server (unidirectional), backup utilities, dynamic DNS, USB backup and drive mounts, and support for NFS/CIFS/FTP.

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ATMs/Kiosks

Pulse, one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks, launched Pulse Select, a surcharge-free ATM network alliance with the MoneyPass Network. The PULSE Select/MoneyPass Surcharge-free ATM Network provides bank participants with access to more than 16,000 surcharge-free ATMs across the country.

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TradeHarbor, a leading provider of voice authentication services, and Voxeo, a leading supplier of premise and hosted Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, announced a partnership to deliver TradeHarbor's Voice Signature Service to any customer using Voxeo's IVR services. TradeHarbor's Voice Signature Service works as a web service with Voxeo's Prophecy IVR Platform, or is easily added to any call center or phone system using Voxeo's hosted IVR service. A Voice Signature is computer analysis of a person's voice to verify their identity. Voice authentication enables organizations to provide the security of voice biometrics to better authenticate and protect consumer transactions.

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Phoenix Technologies announced the availability of Phoenix Freeze, a patent-pending solution for laptops and netbooks that provides users with an always-on Bluetooth proximity system that automatically locks down a laptop whenever the user walks away from it. Freeze pairs a Bluetooth mobile phone with the user's laptop so that the laptop immediately locks whenever the user walks away with their phone. When the user returns within a certain proximity (pre-defined by the user) of their mobile computer, it automatically unlocks.

mFoundry has added enhanced capabilities to its m-banking product. It now offers text banking (SMS) and alerts, as well as support within the mobile web browser (WAP). The two new modes join mFoundry's mobile applications-based downloadable solution which was launched in late 2006.

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Consumer Reports magazine awarded a trio of free security programs for Windows PCs with 'best buys', saying that they offer the "best combination of performance and price." Top honors went to a free three-pack of Avira GmbH's AntiVir antivirus program, Microsoft's Windows Defender antispyware software and the Spamfighter antispam program. "These free programs offer the best combination of performance and price. All are recommended," said Consumer Reports in giving the trio its "CR Best Buy" rating for the category, and concluded that "they could be combined to create a makeshift suite."

Egress filtering entails monitoring and protecting the data leaving your network. Egress filtering is not limited to routing devices like firewalls and routers; it can be implemented via network-based application proxies for Web, e-mail, and other supported protocols. There are low cost and free open source options such as Squid and Untangle. Squid, a well known open source Web proxy, can both filter what websites users are allowed to visit and monitor for policy violations. Meanwhile, Untangle can do more than just HTTP filtering - it integrates open source tools for Web and unsolicited email filtering, network protocol management (i.e., blocking file sharing and instant messaging), and more. Untangle also provides a commercial version with full support and additional features.

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Security:

Protecting Customer Data at Rest and in Motion

CheckFree - http://www.checkfree.com Read Christopher Beier's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/CheckFree.pdf

Code Green Networks - http://www.codegreennetworks.com   Read Rod Murchison's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/CGN.pdf

e-DMZ Security - http://www.e-dmzsecurity.com   Read Kris Zupan's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/e-DMZ.pdf

Gladiator Technology - http://www.gladiatortechnology.com Read Danny Johnston's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/Gladiator.pdf

Guardian Analytics - http://www.guardiananalytics.com Read Tom Miltonberger's comments:     http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/Guardian.pdf

HEIT - http://www.goheit.com   Read Dan Holt's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/Heit.pdf

Integrated Computer Solutions - http://www.icsinc.com   Read Keith Young's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/ICS.pdf

Intrepidus Group - http://www.intrepidusgroup.com   Read Rohyt Belani's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/Intrepidus.pdf

Netsecuris - http://www.netsecuris.com   Read Leonard Jacobs' comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/Netsecuris.pdf

Network Box - http://www.networkboxusa.com   Read Pierluigi Stella's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/NetworkBox.pdf

Perimeter eSecurity - http://www.perimeterusa.com   Read Kevin Prince's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/Perimeter.pdf

Reclamere - http://www.reclamere.com   Read Kevin Doyle's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/Reclamere.pdf

Simpler-Webb - http://www.swinc.com   Read Jeff Simpler's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/SimplerWebb.pdf

SkyRecon Systems - http://www.skyrecon.com   Read Sean Martin's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/SkyRecon.pdf

Software and Management Associates - http://www.smausa.com Read Michael W. Taylor's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/SMA.pdf

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The Starcom MediaVest Group is one of the world's largest media communications organizations with 110 offices in 67 countries. One of their analysts recently quoted research saying that 17 percent of US consumers had either changed financial institutions, or added an account at another financial institution, in the last quarter of 2008. This turmoil in the US retail banking industry is creating opportunities for smaller FIs to take market share from the likes of Citigroup and Bank of America who are facing the possibility of falling under government control. It has also prompted The Financial Times to suggest that Starbucks - with its 7,000 retail locations - ought to start up a retail bank.

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Javelin Strategy & Research released a new study that reveals how banks can increase online account enrollment while also optimizing efficiency and reducing risk. The Online Account Opening Consumer Analysis and Vendor Comparison report analyzes ten vendors that offer online account opening products. It offers these key findings:

• 45% of consumers have attempted to open a checking account online
• 30% of Gen Y consumers have attempted to open a checking account online in the past 12 months
• 20% of consumers applied online because they did not live near their FI
• Nearly 40% of applicants failed to complete the process of opening an account online without phoning or visiting a branch location

According to Gartner, financial institutions face the prospect of disintermediation if they fail to prepare for the swelling interest in new media technologies and social networking by consumers. Social banking won't change the consumer banking model immediately, says Gartner, although financial institutions that understand social media, financial social networks and microfinance have a better chance of adapting their services. Gartner defines social banking as an emerging approach to retail banking that makes depositing, lending and the connections between depositors, borrowers and financial institutions transparent. Gartner advises banks to first create a social media strategy and ensure that they have the technology required to implement a social banking model. They should then look for ways to create partnerships with social banking providers, rather than trying to build their own social networks.

Waterfield Technologies, a provider of private-label banking for financial institutions, affinity organizations, trade organizations and corporations, and WorkLight, a supplier of secure application infrastructure, announced a partnership to deliver secure widget-based banking solutions through consumer online channels. The WorkLight Application Platform (WLAP) enables retail FIs to extend their existing service offerings via consumer online channels, such as desktop widget frameworks, personalized web pages, social networks, mobile widget frameworks and blog pages. Examples of such channels include Vista Sidebar, Mac OS X Dashboard, Facebook, iGoogle, Twitter, the Apple iPhone, and others. Examples of personal finance and business banking applications include tracking account balances and transactions, transferring funds, paying bills and more.

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CallTower, which provides managed unified communications solutions for small to mid-sized businesses, has added a new on-demand unified communications solution based on the latest version of Microsoft Office Communications Server (OCS) 2007 R2. The offering also provides a single interface and bill for telephony services, Web and audio conferencing, unified messaging, voice to text, text to voice, Internet, presence, screen pops and more. In addition, CallTower’s hosted OCS does not require any other telephone system or softswitch to be involved and the system can use any Microsoft Office Communicator compatible phone as the primary telephony platform.

Some telecommunications experts say that the possibility of a widespread swine flu outbreak is prompting organizations to think about business continuity and how options such as telework may become a necessity. They recommend that organizations put solid telework plans in place in case the swine flu threat were to escalate to the point of widespread absenteeism or building closures. Case in point: research firm Gartner said the recent outbreaks of swine flu highlight the need for companies to have in place pandemic plans that address workforce absenteeism rates of 40% or higher. banks interested in telework can find resources online from the Telework Exchange that include tools and advice geared for teleworkers, teleworker managers, and IT staff related to issues such as security and best practices. The group also offers a calculator to help estimate cost savings and the environmental benefits associated with telework.

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What kind of contact center incentive programs work best - "employee of the month" program or programs that rewards small behaviors as they occur? Opinions vary widely, but some call center consultants recommend an incentive program that rewards small behaviors as they occur to shape behaviors such as attendance, adherence, attrition, conversion rates, quality ratings, etc. They argue that these ongoing rewards programs eliminate any reason to on the part of employees to not to maximize their efforts or give-up early in the month. They contend that incentive rewards are most effective when large activities are broken down to their smallest components and rewarded as they occur - frequently.

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