• The project won the Silver Award in ‘Technology and IT Sector’ at the National Project Management Excellence Awards 2023.

Taking a significant leap towards technological innovation, speed and security, People’s Bank partnered with Hayleys Fentons ICT for a transformative SD-WAN project, covering 375 branches across the island, establishing it as the country’s largest installation within the financial sector. The successful, large scale, multi-hub enterprise deployment was completed in 70 days.

SD-WAN, a cutting-edge networking technology, empowers organisations to securely connect users, applications, and data across multiple locations, enhancing speed, safety, and flexibility in the process. This implementation revolutionises traditional network models through centralised control and visibility.

Key features of the deployment include a central SD-WAN Hub at People’s Bank’s head office in Colombo 02, fortified with Redundancy Disaster Recovery (DR) measures to ensure uninterrupted service.

Commenting on the achievement, Clive Fonseka, CEO/GM of People’s Bank said “This is another important  milestone in our journey to become the most technologically superior bank in the country. We remain steadfastly committed to use technology not only to offer an enhanced banking experience to our customers but also to increase our operational efficiency and revenue.”

Dhammika Dasa, Chief Information Officer of People’s Bank, enthusiastically praised the successful implementation, stating, “Hayleys Fentons ICT has played a pivotal role in modernising our network infrastructure. This SD-WAN project not only optimises our network performance but also enables us to provide island-wide support within 2 hours via support centers.”

Hasith Prematillake, Managing Director of Hayleys Fentons, expressed pride in being the preferred technology partner for People’s Bank stating that all 375 branches were seamlessly connected to the central hub through secure IPSEC tunnels, reinforcing security and reliability for the bank. “In addition, our team took proactive measures for the network’s resilience by installing a secondary internet connection for backup purposes. The successful deployment is a testament to the technological prowess and dedication of the Fentons ICT team.”

Yoosoof Ihthisham, General Manager of Hayleys Fentons ICT, emphasised that their solution not only modernised the bank’s network infrastructure but also equipped them with tools to enhance security, agility, and cost-effectiveness. The central management system provides administrators with complete control and easy monitoring of network performance, ensuring secure communication between SD-WAN enabled and non-SD-WAN branches.

The project was recognised recently with a Silver Award in the ‘Technology and IT Sector’ at the National Project Management Excellence Awards 2023.

By adopting SD-WAN technology, People’s Bank takes significant steps towards cost efficiency, optimising network traffic, reducing WAN circuit costs, and centralising management. This deployment aligns with the evolving technological landscape and solidifies People’s Bank’s position as the leader in digital banking innovation.

About People’s Bank:

Peoples’ Bank has the country’s largest banking customer base of 14.7 million and also the largest branch network of 747 physical contact points to serve them. The bank also provides its services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year via its Self-Banking Units amounting to over 290 across the island, enabling customers to conduct their transactions without having to visit a bank branch. The bank has also stamped its supremacy in the digital banking sphere with its mobile banking app People’s Wave being the country’s most downloaded banking app.

About Hayleys Fentons ICT:

Over the last 46 years, Hayleys Fenton’s ICT division has been a trusted provider of high-quality ICT solutions to businesses in Sri Lanka. Their comprehensive range of services include IT infrastructure, network and cybersecurity solutions, data centre and virtualization services, unified communications, open-source applications, and consultancy services. The company specialises in successfully executing large and complex projects through partnerships with globally recognised tier-one brands and in-house expertise that sets them apart from the industry.