In response to the continuing search for significant reductions in transaction processing costs, TwoFour has demonstrated that its Microsoft .NET solution running on Intel technology will outperform traditional higher cost architectures. In the first phase of benchmark tests conducted at Intel's fasterLAB, TwoFour set out to validate their system's high performance architecture when applied to the rigorous demands of high volume cash flow processing.

From the initial capture of cash flows written to a message queue, through to the updating of multiple position blotters distributed across multiple client machines, simulating a trading room environment, TwoFour achieved 3,900 transactions per second for a sustained period of 30 minutes (7,020,000 cash-flows) on a single set of hardware utilizing Intel's Dual Quad-Core Intel Xeon X5460 (Harpertown) processors.

"The results showed minimal processor utilization across all of the computers and are outstanding considering they are based on a single set of hardware. We're extremely pleased with these initial results and the encouraging implications for system scalability when we take full advantage of multi threading across Intel's multi core processors," stated David Kamp, TwoFour's CTO. "Next we plan a set of tests to obtain metrics on the system's scalability curve and see how close to linear we are. We then plan to run tests based on transaction life-cycles for different products and asset types. We are keen to ensure that the entire transaction lifecycle, front middle and back office operations can be supported as needed throughout the business day," continued Kamp.

E-trading and increases in market volatility continue to drive trade volumes to new heights. These higher volumes must co-exist with a relentless demand for greater workflow flexibility, narrowing margins and the pressure on technology to deliver increased performance and predictable scalability at minimum cost. All of these consionsiderations become an even more formidable challenge when combined with a drive for greater cost effectiveness.

Increasing trade volumes logically increases the revenue earning opportunity. In order to capitalize on this opportunity, many banks and financial institutions have made major investments to increase access to market liquidity. But any increase in revenue is lost, unless the business can be delivered cost effectively across the entire trade lifecycle. With the increased volume of activity, the need for enhanced trade process automation across each aspect of the trade's lifecycle is the trading conundrum.

As we enter a period when data center capex will inevitably be constrained and bank mergers open the concept of systems consolidation - the opportunity clearly exists to install contemporary functionality on lower cost, greener lower power consuming infrastructures.

These initial results verify TwoFour's ability to consistently deliver real-time, high performance processing and TwoFour will continue to work with Intel to identify peak performance capacity and scalability metrics.