- Internal and external users have 24-hour access to business-critical applications of the proxy voting service.
- Broadridge can now process ad hoc and scheduled batch jobs during the day, which shortens the nightly batch cycle.
- Additional applications and systems within Broadridge have implemented SYSB-II to allow concurrent updating of files and to alleviate similar availability issues.
Introduction
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. is a leading, global provider of technology solutions to the financial services industry. Spun off from Automatic Data Processing, Inc. in 2007, the company provides a variety of communication, processing, and outsourcing solutions to global banks, brokerage firms, and other financial institutions around the world.
Several years ago, Broadridge began experiencing increased transaction volume due to its growing proxy voting service as well as business growth and industry changes. One of its most successful ventures, the proxy voting service attracted 31 major clients in its first year, and Broadridge needed to meet this growing demand.
“The business was growing and evolving at such a significant rate that increased availability became very important to us,” said Joe Devorak, Senior Director of Service Delivery, Broadridge.
With proxy voting, Broadridge enters client proxy positions into the system, sends voting information to investors, collects and tallies votes, and then provides results to the client. Broadridge needs to process batch while processing voting taking place around the world (24/7). At the same time, Broadridge simultaneously needed to run batch updates on the same VSAM files. As the business grew and evolved, availability of critical applications became a necessity around the clock, especially during the proxy season.
“The need to provide system availability on a 24-7 basis for internal and external users was the catalyst to implement the SYSB-II product as a way to facilitate these business changes,” said Mark Del Valle, a Production Support Specialist for Broadridge.
To maintain interactive access while also allowing the critical batch processes to run, Broadridge began looking for solutions that would allow simultaneous updates from CICS and batch. After reviewing the alternatives, Broadridge selected SYSB-II from H&W Computer Systems, Inc. because it provided the concurrent access the company needed, while also ensuring data integrity.
With SYSB-II in place, Broadridge now accommodates both ad hoc and scheduled batch updates during the day at the same time that staff members are making online CICS updates to the same VSAM files.
“We needed the ability to perform online updates and batch updates to our VSAM files while maintaining the same accessibility and response time users experience during typical system operation,” said Joe Iacovino.
SYSB-II is mainframe software that allows CICS and batch to have concurrent access to VSAM files. This means companies can process batch during the business day or night, while CICS applications and current data remain fully available to customers.
The implementation of SYSB-II along with other system optimizations helped Broadridgekeep up with its growing and evolving business. With process improvements and otherchanges, Broadridge has also been able to cut its nightly batch cycle from six to twohours.
With the company's increasing global reach, the need for continuous availability became even more important.
“We run approximately 25,000 jobs in a 24-hour period and provide both Internet and telephone proxy voting across many time zones,” said Joe Devorak. “We have to keep the system up 24 hours a day.”
“It's like a lot of shops that I've been with as far as the need for updating files while they are open to the real-time system. Users need to have current and accurate information, and they can't afford system blackout periods.” said Mark Del Valle.
Broadridge broadens the use of SYSB-II to additional applications
Because of the success of SYSB-II in its proxy voting services, Broadridge expanded its use to other applications that could also benefit from additional availability.
One example is in the fulfillment and post sale product group, client prospectuses, and other investor communications. Files in the CICS region must remain accessible at typical operating speeds. SYSB-II now enables Broadridge to complete batch updates while maintaining the user experience at any time, day or night.
Broadridge also implemented SYSB-II with its e-delivery program, a service that provides clients with a variety of online communications services. With this implementation, SYSB-II allows updates to run three to four times during the day, which shortens the nightly cycle by almost two hours, while providing 24-7 access for the Internet based applications.
Broadridge achieved similar results by applying SYSB-II to its data processing of record dates and job master updates. This also allows updates during the day and results in a shortened nightly cycle.
“SYSB-II is a primary component that drives all of our processes during the day,” said Joe lacovino.
SYSB-II remains a major asset to the business
As Broadridge expands its product portfolio, SYSB-II has become an important tool for increasing systems availability to its clients.
And as Broadridge moves forward with new products and services, SYSB-II remains a tool that developers understand and can implement.
“SYSB-II is always in the backs of the minds of developers. It is built into our genetics of how we develop and deploy applications,” said Joe Iacovino.
Conclusion
As its business has evolved, Broadridge has expanded its implementation of SYSB-II to increase availability to its business-critical applications. Initially bringing in SYSB-II to increase availability for staff members for its growing proxy voting service, Broadridge now extols SYSB-II as a primary component in allowing continuous availability to its external, Web-savvy, global users. By allowing both users and batch concurrent access, SYSB-II continues to help Broadridge serve its growing client base.
About H&W
