Benchmarking Study The benchmarking study began with a simple hypothesis: namely, that combining SQL Server, TEMENOS

T24, Intel processors and Dell hardware would result in faster funds transfers, higher security-trades volumes, and quicker close-of-business processes than a typical bank requires. For NSCU, the research would support the belief of CIO Fred Cook and other senio r IT staff that employing a Microsoft-TEMENOS core banking system would yield lo wer operating costs, improved business intelligence and better integration betwe en back-end systems and the customer service applications that help investors ob tain guidance from NSCU s financial advisors. As one of the first North American f inancial institutions to consider implementing the SQL-T24 infrastructure, NSCU was interested in understanding the long-term benefits of this system.