The enhanced quad-core processor, installed in Sun Microsystems' Sun Fire X4600 M2 server, provides significant additional scalability in Advent Software's Geneva portfolio management and accounting system.

Faster access to timely net asset value (NAV) and P&L data is particularly valuable to high volume, time-sensitive fund strategies. As well as supporting fund manager decision-making processes and competitive strategies, improved data processing increases fund operating efficiency.

"Clients are benefitting from both increased volume and speed," said Bob Schwartz, chief technology officer at GlobeOp. "We now process a higher volume of client reports and analyses faster - since we began the implementation earlier this year, daily demand spikes of up to 17,000 reports have processed smoothly. In addition to reducing most report delivery times by at least 50 per cent, we are also able in some cases to run 50 per cent more reports across our servers at once."

"Funds are now challenged to improve operational efficiency and computing capacity while lowering overall technology costs," said Ambreesh Khanna, head of global financial services industry at Sun Microsystems. "The quad-core processor and new Sun Fire X4600 M2 server, running the Solaris Operating System combination, is specifically designed for memory-intensive applications like Advent Geneva.

With up to 512GB of memory to accelerate data access and analysis, the system helps GlobeOp further increase efficiency and performance, which in turn helps its fund clients to reduce their IT infrastructure investment."

Schwartz added: "The discipline and investment involved in regularly upgrading hardware and software systems are central to GlobeOp's technology strategy. As a major, long-term Advent customer, our ongoing working partnership shares expertise and hedge fund sector knowledge to push technology to new service levels."