Google persuades large bank to use the cloud

I don't know where people get this idea that large banks still run everything on technology hardware that they own - it's just not true in general. As an example, there are organisations like TSYS and First Data out there to which a number of banks outsource some or all of their transaction processing operations, from issuing credit and debit cards through card transaction processing to sending statements out in the post. See <a href="http://www.tsys.com/solutions_services/Issuers/index.cfm" rel="nofollow">http://www.tsys.com/solutions_services/Issuers/index.cfm</a> and <a href="http://www.firstdata.com/en_us/products/financial-institutions.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.firstdata.com/en_us/products/financial-institutio...</a> to get an idea of what a bank can outsource if it wants to. So what's remarkable about outsourcing email/calendar/etc to Google's cloud when competitors have already outsourced their credit card operation to a cloud run by TSYS?

They might manage to convince them to use some Chromebooks, too. They still seem to be pretty expensive at around $400, though. I wish they made them based on ARM already. I wonder if they are just waiting for the arrival of Cortex A15 before they replace Atom. Samsung should have a dual core 2 ghz Cortex A15 processor in Q2.

I have to give Google props on this one. I've spent a lot of time selling tech platforms / programs to the larger banks in North America. Speaking bluntly, most of the adoption is being driven by a struggle to keep the lights on, vs. a natural comfort with the cloud.<p>It would be interesting to share notes, but I'm finding the adoption is fairly peripheral (non core systems) with a large lock down on the data that is made available. Part of the problem is tech propensity, (in the U.S.) is partly regulation based, and part is because those making buying decisions simply do not use these tools.<p>It's going to be an interesting path forwards. The culture change for these organizations is going to take time.

Does European law even allow banking data to be outside of Europe?

Apparently its the biggest single deal Google has signed for its cloud services. Are financial services ready for the cloud now?

"The bank told the BBC it would use Google's tools only for internal communication."