IBM announced today that global health service company, CIGNA Worldwide Life Insurance Company Limited , has implemented an IBM high availability business resiliency services solution to ensure business continuity in the event of disasters or other incidents that could cause costly business disruption and downtime.

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Delivered out of the new, world-class IBM Resilience Center in Fo Tan, the solution comprising IBM managed resiliency services and a high availability solution running on an IBM System i server helps CIGNA manage and protect its mission-critical applications. With the new solution, CIGNA has shortened its Recovery Time Objective (RTO) significantly by over 70 times.

"As a company dedicated to caring for people's health and well-being, we aim to provide our customers with peace of mind. Ensuring business continuity through our regional IT hub in Hong Kong is key to our ability to meet that aim across eight markets in Asia Pacific," said Hans Evers, Vice President, IT and Customer Service Operation, Global LA & H, CIGNA International Corporation. "IBM provides us with a high availability back-up system that ensures that we can deliver 24x7 customer service. It also supports growth in our direct-to-consumer strategy which relies increasingly on the Internet and direct TV for communications and services that customers expect around the clock access to."

In line with CIGNA's global focus on improving its infrastructure to provide enhanced customer service, CIGNA engaged IBM to provide a high availability business resiliency solution which included sourcing of hardware, implementation, facility management and ongoing support through IBM's resiliency center and team of experts. The implementation of the solution was completed in May.

"IT plays a critical role in our ability to deliver our service to customers, but we're in the insurance business, not in IT," said Mr. Evers. "We have a clear strategy to go to best in breed and we have been partnering with IBM since 1997 to leverage their deep experience and understanding of the insurance industry."

Leveraging the subscription-based approach offered through IBM managed resiliency services, CIGNA is able to turn upfront capital investment in the high availability solution into ongoing operational expenses, improving near-term return on investment while achieving immediate continuity and resiliency.

"In today's volatile environment, business continuity is a mandatory requirement," said Tony Fung, Executive, Global Technology Services, IBM China/Hong Kong Limited. "Being CIGNA's long-standing partner, we understand their business and IT needs and are delighted to operate a resiliency solution for CIGNA that best fulfils their aim of providing peace of mind to their customers. We are committed to delivering value to meet their business objectives for today and tomorrow."

With over 40 years of global BCRS experience and more than 15 years of presence in Hong Kong, IBM's proven and tested BCRS solution encompasses planning, protection and recovery for business continuity to help ensure business uptime. IBM BCRS have been widely adopted by companies in Hong Kong, including leaders in the financial services, insurance and manufacturing sectors.

  About IBM
  For more information about IBM Hong Kong, go to: www.ibm.com/hk

  About CIGNA Worldwide Life Insurance Company Limited

CIGNA , a global health service company, is dedicated to its mission of helping the people we serve improve their health, well-being and security. CIGNA operating subsidiaries provide an integrated suite of medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care benefits, as well as group and individual life, accident and disability insurance, to millions of people throughout the United States and around the world. For more information about CIGNA, visit www.CIGNA.com

  Media contacts:

  Florence Ma                            Michelle Chow
  IBM China/Hong Kong Limited            IBM China/Hong Kong Limited
  Tel: (852) 2825 7626                   Tel: (852) 2825  6712
  Fax: (852) 2537 1783                   Fax: (852) 2537 1783
  Email: maky@hk1.ibm.com                Email: mchow@hk1.ibm.com

  Johnson Hui
  Text 100 Hong Kong
  Tel: (852) 2821 8699
  Fax: (852) 2866 6220
  Email: johnson.hui@text100.com.hk

  Aliza Fischer
  IBM Media Relations (US)
  Tel: 917-472-3721
  Email: afische@us.ibm.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: afische@us.ibm.com

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SOURCE: IBM