Grupo Zurich Mexico speeds operations and improves customer insurance claims payment through the cloud

New private cloud infrastructure built on IBM PureSystems and SmartCloud improves performance and reduces operating costs.

News provided by

IBM

Jul 23, 2013, 10:00 ET

MEXICO CITY, July 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo Zurich, the Mexican subsidiary of one of the world's largest insurance groups, will implement a new private cloud based on IBM (NYSE: IBM) PureSystems and SmartCloud. The new cloud will provide the company with greater flexibility to deploy new applications while increasing the availability of its website and helping to improve the overall customer experience.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO)

The PureSystems infrastructure will provide the backbone for a new project known as Zurich Infrastructure as a Service (Ziaas). This project will help Zurich to simplify the operation of enterprise applications and share a common data platform while providing a consistent look-and-feel for end users. Thus, the data center will have the agility to meet the needs of employees using different types of devices (smartphones, tablets, PCs, printers, camcorders, etc.). Before deploying PureSystems, these application upgrades could take Grupo Zurich days or even weeks. Now, upgrades can be deployed in minutes.

"Having virtual copies of the servers on a single physical location enables us to turn off excess equipment, which reduces carbon dioxide emissions and saves energy," said Joshua Bernal, Infrastructure manager, Zurich Mexico. "The new Private cloud allows us to more efficiently manage our larger databases and storage systems. As a result, both the customer service functions and the business processes teams benefit from highly availability IT resources."

Since deploying PureFlex, the client has been able to achieve overall cost reductions in data centers of up to 54 percent. These savings include lower operating costs and application licenses, as well as reduced hardware requirements. With Ziaas, the company has greater flexibility in its data center and can better use its IT resources. As a result of Ziaas, the company has realized an increase in system performance of 400 percent and a reduction in energy consumption of 75 percent.

"Zurich Mexico continues to modernize itself, and PureSystems helps assure business continuity and full regulatory compliance through this project," said Ricardo Galicia, PureSystems Solutions Representative at IBM Mexico.

Grupo Zurich is the latest in a series of PureSystems client successes in key growth markets around the world. In the single year since IBM introduced its first expert integrated systems - the result of $2 billion in R&D and acquisitions over four years – more than 6,000 clients from 100 countries have decided that the IBM PureSystems family offers an alternative to current enterprise computing models, where multiple and disparate systems require significant resources to set up and maintain.

The IBM PureSystems family offers clients an alternative to current enterprise computing models, where multiple and disparate systems require significant resources to set up and maintain. The PureFlex System enables organizations to more efficiently create and manage an infrastructure. PureApplication Systems help organizations reduce the cost and complexity of rapidly deploying and managing applications. PureData Systems are tuned for cloud computing and can consolidate more than 100 databases on a single system. In addition to the common web application patterns supported by PureApplication System, the combination of both PureData and PureApplication Systems can be used for end to end transaction workloads.

For more information about Zurich Insurance Group visit: www.zurich.com.mx

For more information on IBM PureSystems visit: www.ibm.com/press/pure

IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com, PureSystems, PureFlex, Power Systems, System x, PureApplication, PureData, Storwize, Smarter Planet and the planet icon are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. For a current list of IBM trademarks, please see www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml

All other company, product or service names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of others. Statements concerning IBM's future development plans and schedules are made for planning purposes only, and are subject to change or withdrawal without notice. Reseller prices may vary.

Media Contacts:

Chris Rubsamen
IBM Communications
(914) 766 4280
[email protected]

Svetlana Stavreva
IBM Media relations, Growth Markets
+43-664-6186851
[email protected]

Paola Podesta
IBM Media Relations, Latin America
54-11-5070-4224
[email protected]

SOURCE IBM