The National Cloud Operator has launched its operating activity; PKO Bank Polski is its first client

2019.04.15

The National Cloud Operator has started to provide its first services on behalf of PKO Bank Polski, which uses them for dynamic creation and scaling of its test and development environments.
The first region and first zone of availability of NCO services have been launched. The safe data centers located in Mazowsze region are the foundation stone for development of cloud-based services for the financial sector in Poland.
The National Cloud Operator has signed agreements with the transformation partners and is ready to support transformation of IT services of its clients to the cloud.
Advanced negotiations with the biggest companies in Poland have confirmed the business assumptions of the National Cloud Operator.

The National Cloud Operator has reached the stage of operational capability to render cloud-based services on the basis of its own infrastructure, and it has launched rendering services for the first client - PKO Bank Polski. This cooperation brings us closer to one of the objectives defined by PKO Bank Polski while initiating the establishment of the NCO: increasing the flexibility of IT resources.

At this stage, the bank uses the National Cloud services for outsourcing of testing environment on the basis of the IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) model. Use of cloud services by the bank will make it possible to accelerate the processes of testing and implementing of innovations while reducing their cost.

In late April, three independent server facilities will be launched officially in Mazowsze, built in the referential cloud-based architecture. They are already used by PKO Bank Polski to accelerate its software development and testing processes. This is a starting point for development of cloud-based services, among others, for the financial sector in Poland. The first cloud region is now ready to welcome new clients”.

said Adam Marciniak, the Vice President of the Management Board of PKO Bank Polski

"We have completed another stage of building of the National Cloud and we have launched the first services for PKO Bank Polski. We are also ready to render services on behalf of other clients, and we are in the course of advanced negotiations with some of them. This cooperation is the first test confirming our operational efficiency, which was achieved in just 3 months from the formal establishment of the company".

said Michał Potoczek, the President of the Management Board of the National Cloud Operator

The first National Cloud region has been launched

Implementation of the testing environment outsourcing service for PKO Bank Polski has been possible thanks to the launch of the first availability zone of the National Cloud Operator. As a standard, the NCO renders services using at least two data processing centers. Therefore, in order to open its locations quickly, the Operator has initiated cooperation with Exatel company and the National Clearing House for management of secure data centers in Mazowsze. For both companies, this means an increase in the level of their resources. For the NCO, on the other hand, it is the possibility of rendering services in the most optimized manner, with minimum capital expenditures (CapEx) at the early stage of functioning of the company. Therefore, the prices for cloud-based services offered to clients may be more attractive.

IT model transformation services for enterprises

The National Cloud Operator has also become ready to render cloud transformation services for those clients, who intend to change their IT model and accelerate the implementation process, reduce the cost of introduction of innovative digital solutions and to enhance the effectiveness of their IT resources. The Company has signed agreements with 5 partners. Asseco Data Systems, Accenture and DXC Technology will help the clients of the NCO to develop their strategies for use of cloud-based services and to accelerate digital transformation, at the same time aiding them in projects of migration to cloud-based services. Asseco Poland and Sygnity, being big Software House players, will assist in development of detailed IT solutions, necessary to transfer the resources to the cloud. Cooperation with these two companies will also include a broader scope of services, including offering of their software on the National Cloud platform.

More clients to come

The National Cloud Operator is also in the course of advanced negotiations on cooperation with over 10 entities from among the largest Polish companies. The aim of these is to establish the framework cooperation conditions, allowing the NCO clients to use various services in the cloud-based model: from access to testing environments (like it has already taken place in the case of PKO Bank Polski) to B2B2C services, in which the NCO clients will provide the NCO services to their retail customers. The pace and scope of the negotiations have confirmed the existing and constantly growing demand for cloud-based services in Poland.

***

PKO Bank Polski is the undisputable leader of the Polish banking sector. In 2018, its consolidated net profit amounted to PLN 3,74 bilion (the largest in the Polish banking sector) and the value of assets reached over PLN 324 billion. The Bank is the basic provider of financial services for all customer segments, achieving the highest shares in the deposit market (18.4 percent), loans (17.6 percent), leasing market (11.2 percent) and in the market of investment funds not dedicated (22.2 percent). With over 8.9 million payment cards, the bank is the largest debit and credit card issuer in Poland with a market share of over 21%. Thanks to the development of digital tools, including the IKO application, which has in in the end of 2018 - 3.12 million active applications, PKO Bank Polski has become the most mobile bank in Poland. The Capital Group's companies strengthen the Bank's strong position. The Brokerage House of PKO Bank Polski is a leader in terms of the number and value of IPO and SPO transactions on the capital market. The effective implementation of the growth strategy meant that at the end of 2018, PKO Bank Polski was the most valuable company listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

Products and services

VSB Poland secures funding from PKO Bank Polski for another wind energy project

2024.11.08

PKO Bank Polski has signed an agreement with VSB Poland, a subsidiary of the international VSB Group, with legal support from Dentons, to finance an investment in the Raciborz onshore wind park with a capacity of 41.6 MW.

Products and services

PKO Bank Polski is financing the medical industry

2024.01.09

PKO Bank Polski is one of the financial institutions that have signed a financing agreement with a total value of approximately PLN 1.6 billion with the American Heart of Poland Group, which specializes in the treatment of lifestyle diseases, in particular cardiovascular...

Products and services

PKO Bank Polski has received the Global Retail Banking Innovation Award 2023 for building a brand presence in the Metaverse.

2023.10.19

PKO Bank Polski has won the international Global Retail Banking Innovation Awards 2023 competition in the category of "Outstanding Customer Relations & Brand Engagement Initiative." The competition's jury recognized the bank's efforts related to building its presence...