BATON ROUGE, La. -- Using the latest in mirroring technology has helped Pelican State Credit Union "virtually" lower loan rates and pay higher dividends.
The $125 million CU is using server virtualization to test new application systems and products, allowing several servers to be used simultaneously through one physical device.
"This technology has allowed my staff to go from several workstations at their desk to one," said Michael Morgan, vice president of information systems at the 26,000-member CU in Louisiana's capital city.
Morgan, who writes many of Pelican's applications himself said that along with reduced overhead, server virtualization helps him ensure that new programs are compatible with existing software, reducing the risk of mishaps such as systems crashing.
And if crashes do occur, recovery time is reduced because application systems and departmental storage are segregated on different servers, Morgan said, also reducing the number of people affected by a single incident.
Pelican State said server virtualization also has eliminated the cost of buying extra computers and workstations, savings then passed along as higher dividends and lower loan rates.
Morgan said he has been using virtual servers for more than two years and that he expects the technology to have a greater presence in credit unions in the future.
He also invited credit unions interested in more information on Pelican's use of server virtualization to contact him or CEO Jeff Conrad at (225) 408-6125.
