On April 4, 2022, CU*Answers published a newly refreshed web page detailing the expectations for CU*BASE^® core processing uptime. “Our goal each month is 100% uptime for teller and member facing applications,” states Jim Lawrence, VP of Operations and Business Continuity. “Realistically, even in a 24/7 marketplace, there are specific activities that need to be performed resulting in brief disruptions during non-peak hours. From software releases to security updates, and closing/opening the books for the new business day, each bring with it the potential need to suspend processing transactions.”

CU*Answers has implemented strategies to minimize the impact to users through stand-in processing and high-availability (HA) technologies that allow systems to be updated without bringing the application offline. The Systems Availability web page details the hours of operations, local to the credit union regardless of the time zone they operate in, including windows for planned maintenance and live HA rollover exercises. Planned events are announced in advance with details communicated to applicable credit unions on the CU*BASE network.

CU*Answers maintains a robust business continuity program to prepare for unplanned incidents that threaten to disrupt core processing services. Regular rollover and recovery exercises are conducted with gap analysis reports made available for client credit unions to review. “With a targeted goal of 100% uptime,” adds Jim Lawrence, “all planning is centered around overall business resilience.”