Misys International Banking Systems has unveiled proposals to re-engineer its flagship back office product Midas to support Web services.
The revamped system, dubbed MidasPlus, is being demonstrated on stand no K304 at Sibos 2002, and will be available to customers from mid-2003.
It is believed to be one of the first banking solutions to embrace the Web services revolution to such an extent. Web services use Internet technology to provide simplified access to multiple systems and databases.
MidasPlus is being re-engineered for the IBM WebSphere platform. The programme uses the existing Midas software and in essence, wraps this within Java so that it can function in a Web services environment.
Roger Hedges, Midas product marketing manager says the redevelopment will provide Midas' 800+ users with a smooth upgrade path without the need to abandon their legacy architecture and investments.
All new Midas developments since the beginning of this year have been written in Java, says Hedges. By using a thin client browser-based front end, the change from the existing client/server to Web services environment is transparent to end users, he adds.
For banks, Web services can minimise costs by reducing the number of servers required and associated hardware, integration and maintenance costs. By eliminating unnecessary duplication of data and using simple Internet browsers, implementation and upgrade costs savings can also be made. Centralisation of hardware, applications, data and business processes should also improve control of operational risks.