Pub. 13 2018-2019 Issue 4

NEBRASKA BANKERS ASSOCIATION 27 Service is a critical aspect to your customer experience and it can’t only happen when the machine is in need of repair. Preventative maintenance, remote capabilities, regular patching, and proper upgrades keep your customer touchpoints running smoothly. Contact DBE to request a quote today! 800-373-3000 | finsales@databusinessequipment.com Understanding the cloud-based model Cloud solutions have much of the same underlying tech- nologies as on-premise solutions, but the technologies and data are located remotely at datacenters, also known as the cloud. Cloud platforms are subscription-based and typically include all technology upgrades, maintenance, information security and disaster recovery solutions as part of the subscription cost. The financial institution is still responsible for the network con- nectivity to the cloud environment and any other on-premise technologies and data. Why have a cloud-based model? The shift to a cloud-based infrastructure is driven by financial institutions having to spend significant amounts of money to keep up with emerging technologies, continually upgrade apps and refresh aging solutions. Also, as technology platforms have becomemore complex, internal IT knowledge requirements have increased. Cloud-based solutions are turnkey solutions with maintenance and information security included. Benefits of a cloud-based model The cloud has enabled financial institutions to essentially le- verage an a la carte technology model, with the ability to quickly add services without the need for additional internal equipment or personnel. Cloud-based solutions provide communication redundancy to access applications and data, and also allow for robust disaster recovery options. In addition, the dependency upon internal IT personnel lessens since the complexity of on- premise technologies is decreased. The negatives of a cloud-based model However, a transition to the cloud does not come without risk. When a financial institution moves all of its data to a cloud provider, the level of control it has over security implications, staffing, policies and procedures decreases. While a vendor will likely have more significant security and disaster recovery measures, it will also likely be a larger target for hackers. It is also important to note that cloud-based solutions may be more expensive than on-premise models. When is the right time to move to the cloud? Several indicators can help a financial institution understand when it’s time to move to the cloud. The most straightforward scenario is if examiners or regulators force a financial institution into that decision. However, the choice becomes more difficult when internally determining when it is best for the business. In this situation, a move to the cloud must be supported by a strong business case, not simply made as the result of an IT decision. It is also important to note that you may decide that it is best to create a hybrid solution, where some of your technolo- gies are on-premise and some are cloud-based. In fact, it may not be possible to move everything to the cloud, even if that is your ultimate plan.  For more information, contact Julie Starnes at 319-896-5421 or julie. starnes@rsmus.com. Or, contact Todd Gengenbach at 402-344-6118 or todd.gengenbach@rsmus.com. RSM offers Financial Institutions Technology (FIT) as a Service to improve the health of your IT infrastructure. Julie is currently a business development director for the central region. Todd is currently a technology and management consulting infrastructure manager in Nebraska.