MTB Bank faced a major challenge in ensuring business continuity amid unstable conditions in Ukraine. It partnered with LanTec and leveraged Microsoft's Azure VMware to migrate its 330 servers to a secure, isolated, and compliant hybrid cloud environment. This innovative move not only fortified MTB Bank's infrastructure, but also enhanced customer trust and reliability. By embracing new technologies and further digital transformation, MTB Bank is securing a brighter future.
MTB Bank, which is the legal successor of PJSC "MARFIN Bank", was founded 29 years ago in Odessa, Ukraine. As a universal bank, it caters to both corporate and retail clients, providing credit issuing and deposit account maintenance services. The bank has also ventured into new card technology and fintech. With branches in almost every region of the country, MTB Bank serves customers from various fields, including energy, agriculture, and transportation corporations.
The ongoing war in Ukraine poses a significant challenge for MTB Bank, as Illya Klymovych, Deputy Chairman of Executive Board at MTB Bank, explains: "The main reason for migrating to the cloud was the missile threat at our headquarters." Adding to that, unreliable electricity and internet connectivity disrupted operations as well. Because of these realities, the bank wanted to urgently establish an independent disaster recovery site for essential services outside of Ukrainian borders. It turned to Microsoft's Azure VMware, which allowed MTB Bank to host and run banking applications in a secure, isolated, and compliant hybrid cloud environment.
Mr. Klymovych emphasizes, "Our approach was to find the easiest and fastest implementation. The setup Azure offered was cost-optimal and quicker than any other cloud solution we looked at." Moreover, MTB Bank’s familiarity with Microsoft products and its long-standing partnership with LanTec, a Ukrainian systems integrator, made Azure the ideal solution.
Pioneering complete cloud migration
In April 2022, MTB Bank underwent a full-scale migration to Azure VMware with the help of LanTec. Six months later, the bank successfully moved all critical servers to the cloud, which enabled it to continue operating. "After the migration to Azure, everything was virtualized,” Mr. Klymovych shares. “In fact, we became one of the first banks in Ukraine that virtualized the systems connected to Ukraine’s national payment structure."
LanTec played a crucial role in this migration, providing a team that worked closely with MTB Bank's engineers to develop a migration plan, control the process, and optimize the cloud infrastructure for the bank’s ecosystem.
Mr. Klymovych describes the migration as more than just a transfer of information. "We built a complete and protected infrastructure of the bank on the cloud, including 330 servers and all the connections." The process involved conducting an inventory of the bank's existing servers, facilitating the identification and elimination of outdated systems. Under immense pressure due to the ongoing missile attacks, Mr. Klymovych emphasizes the need for speed, "We needed a fast transition, and we found the best way to do it."
Optimizing resources, instilling trust
MTB Bank experienced numerous benefits, such as becoming more confident that they will not lose any data. The bank now backs up data to the cloud daily. Mr. Klymovych highlights, "We can now say that whatever happens, we are able to save the information we have. This confidence extends to our clients, who view the bank as being more reliable and protected.”
Resource optimization was another significant result. The change compelled the bank to review its servers and determine which systems needed to be modified, removed, or migrated immediately.
Growing skills for the modern age
Moreover, the bank's staff gained new competencies during the implementation, familiarizing themselves with Microsoft products. "We didn’t plan to migrate to Microsoft 365 before, but now we see that we can smoothly start the transition to cloud-based tools,” Mr. Klymovych adds. This exposure to new technologies paves the way for future advancements within the bank.
The migration has made the IT department well-acquainted with cloud technologies, helping the bank ensure better data protection and disaster recovery. While other bank employees may not see the change for themselves, they are empowered to work with full confidence and peace of mind.
“What is disaster recovery? It's insurance. You can live without insurance and think nothing will happen. But when something happens, you’d regret that you didn’t have it.”
Illya Klymovych, Deputy Chairman of Executive Board, MTB Bank
MTB Bank is looking to a bright future. "We are moving in this direction step-by-step, with plans to migrate to Microsoft 365 and update mail and exchange servers,” Mr. Klymovych states. Moreover, the bank is exploring additional Microsoft products, such as Power BI for reporting purposes. MTB Bank’s successful migration to Azure VMware has demonstrated the value of embracing change amidst a turbulent environment.
By responding to real risks and adopting appropriate solutions, the bank has made its operations faster and more secure. And all that was made possible with strong support from LanTec and Microsoft. "I want to say thank you to Microsoft for its efficient communication and support during this crucial period,” Mr. Klymovych says with a smile.
The entire experience has made Mr. Klymovych a bit more reflective. “What is disaster recovery? It's insurance,” he says. “You can live without insurance and think nothing will happen. But when something happens, you’d regret that you didn’t have it.” With this move, MTB Bank has ensured that it can continue to operate and serve its customers, no matter the challenges it faces.
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