Bank Aljazira recently signed an Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft Saudi Arabia in Jeddah. The agreement covers all computers in Bank Aljazira's headquarters and branches and provides the bank with increased services and support from Microsoft, cost savings, free software upgrades and training for the bank’s IT staff - ultimately providing an improved, more reliable and more efficient service for the bank's customers.

The agreement will help strengthen the connection between technology, people and processes and align the IT and business environment for the bank. This will help improve the overall IT service delivery and quality to all the bank's business units.

"The signing of the Agreement in addition to its access to the Enterprise, moreover its cutting edge software will optimize our IT Infrastructure and increase the productivity of our employees allowing us to become even more competitive and provide a new level of service to our customers, both corporate and retail," said Mr Ziad Aba Al-Khail, Group Head, Support Group on behalf of Bank Aljazira.

The Enterprise Agreement Volume Licensing program, designed for larger corporate customers, offers organizations a cost-effective way to acquire the latest Microsoft technology to help standardize their IT infrastructure and simplify license management.

Signing the agreement on behalf of Microsoft, Dr Khaled Al-Dhaher, General Manager, Microsoft Saudi Arabia said: "The agreement signed today will help Bank Aljazira achieve operational excellence by creating mission-critical system reliability, availability, supportability, and manageability of Microsoft products and technologies. This in turn will help provide a more reliable service to the bank's customers." Under the terms of the agreement the bank's current IT service will be assessed; processes of greatest concern prioritized; and best practice applied to optimize management of the Windows Server platform - helping people at the bank to realize their potential.

Prior to the take-up of the Enterprise Agreement Bank Aljazira had an Open Subscription License. Mr Aba Al-Khail said that the decision was taken to migrate up to an Enterprise Agreement after a review of the bank's mixed environments. "We concluded that to best serve our customers we should strengthen our strategic relationship with Microsoft and access the additional benefits provided by the agreement," said Mr Aba Al-Khail.

The Enterprise Agreement enrolment term is three years with the option to renew.