CU*Answers, the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based cooperative CUSO, kicked off the final phase in the planning process for deploying new IBM server technology this summer. The servers, which will be driven by IBM’s newest chip technology – POWER9 – will be deployed in the CUSO’s Kentwood, Michigan production facility and its Yankton, South Dakota business continuity data center owned by sister CUSO Site-Four.

Scott Collins, EVP of National Sales and Marketplace Relationships for the CUSO said: “IBM has been a fundamental strategic partner of our cooperative for two decades, and our two teams have been working closely for the past several months to prepare for our latest technology upgrade. Our strategy is to bring in new core servers every thirty-six months to not only leverage the ongoing technology enhancements made by IBM, but also to ensure we provide the best performance, reliability and availability to our growing network of credit unions and partners. The leading-edge performance gains that IBM has made with the POWER9 has our teams excited about the upcoming project, which we plan to complete before the end of summer.”

“We are proud of track record for non-disruptive technology deployments,” Collins continued, “and the POWER9 project completion will be the culmination of a six-month effort by multiple teams here at CU*Answers and the team at Site-Four. It will also position us for the product and client growth we expect during the next several years.”