Case study: EmiratesRE opts for a complete disaster recovery solution

Providing retakaful and reinsurance services, EmiratesRE wanted to find a partner which could deliver a complete IT disaster recovery services package which was independently tested and compliant with strict data protection regulations at a competitive price.EmiratesRE is the leading retakaful institution for regional and international markets, grounded on Fiqh Al Muamalat, observing the rules and regulations of Islamic society.

Based in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), it aims to enlarge the market for retakaful by offering enhanced solutions to takaful clients and the whole spectrum of the insurance industry.

Business challenge

With an ambitious programme of expansion planned for 2015, EmiratesRE set out to find an IT services partner which could provide a complete disaster recovery service, ensuring its critical file systems were secure and independently accredited.

Solution and value realised

In preparation for the planned expansion, Penta provided a complete disaster recovery solution in October 2014, backing up all critical file systems in its private data centre, also located in the DIFC.

Key features of this service include:

File security

Preparing for the unexpected is core to the business of retakaful and reinsurance, and this is as true for EmiratesRE’s data as it is for its policies.

Penta’s disaster recovery system ensures EmiratesRE has all its critical business data backed up, providing an IT safety net should the worst ever happen.

Complete regulatory compliance

Strictly regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, EmiratesRE needed an IT partner which could guarantee its services were fully compliant with the industry’s data protection regulations.

As with all Penta’s services, its disaster recovery infrastructure is independently audited by Ernst and Young, providing Emirates confidence its data is secured to the most rigorous of standards.

Service flexibility

With EmiratesRE CEO Mohamed El Dishish having unveiled an ambitious programme of expansion for the business in 2014, it was vital any IT partner could offer a scalable solution which could be adapted to meet its changing needs.

Penta’s range of services and clear pricing allowed the businesses to set up an IT service designed to meet EmiratesRE’s needs, with the flexibility to change provision as needed.

Daily briefing reports

Penta provides EmiratesRE with a daily systems briefing email which provides its IT staff with a complete update on the health and integrity of the disaster recovery systems.

Sent one hour before the start of each working day, the briefing provides EmiratesRE staff with peace of mind the system is performing optimally, giving them and Penta enough time to resolve any issues before users start working each day.

Having no previous disaster recovery system in place, we saw Penta’s service as the complete solution – offering security, speed and quality support. Penta’s morning reports are an invaluable resource to us, helping us monitor our complete recovery systems quickly and effectively each day.

Whenever there are any issues, we know Penta’s support staff are on hand. Support was of paramount importance to us in choosing an IT partner, and it is one of Penta’s key assets in their service delivery.

Sherf Fadl, Assistant Manager IT, EmiratesRE

• Complete disaster recovery solution
• Independently audited security
• Full compliance with DIFC regulations
• Flexible service provision
• First-class support
• Valued service reports