Cash Flow Management, Inc.
Client > Cash Flow Management, Inc.
The Challenge: Help Cash Flow Management (CFM) develop a business continuity solution for its S4 cash automation system that would enable its financial institution customers to continue operating in the event of a network outage.
The Solution: Incorporate the Lantronix EDS2100 multiport device server into CFM’s Network Outage Redundancy Module (NORM) design to create the IP-toserial connection necessary to bring S4 functionality onto the network.
The Result: The EDS2100-enabled NORM provides the secure and reliable cash automation redundancy that CFM’s current customers need, and has boosted the number of new S4 customers.
“Lantronix is simply the best in the market for IP-to-serial conversion solutions.” Nathan Moore, Product Development Director
The Challenge: A Business Continuity Solution that Keeps the Cash Flowing
Chandler, Arizona-based Cash Flow Management, Inc. was founded more than five years ago by a collection of cash automation end users, programmers, technicians and manufacturers. Cash automation technology increases transaction speeds, reduces cash on hand, enables a more member/customerfocused environment, and improves end-of-day balancing for financial institutions. With the pressures of balancing removed, a teller can concentrate more on cross-selling opportunities and the personal touches that can positively impact the bottom line.
CFM’s mission encompasses the goal of leveraging industry knowledge to create an open standards-based solution that facilitates total integration between a financial institution’s core processing system and its cash recycler/dispenser technology. The company’s primary product is S4, an enterprise-based cash automation solution with zero footprint at the branch level. Because S4 is server-based, a network outage at the location in which the CFM server resides can interrupt service at the branch. CFM saw the need to develop a business continuity solution that would enable an IP-to-serial connection to bring cash automation onto the network without adding to S4’s zero-footprint form factor.
The Solution: The Lantronix EDS2100 is Right on the Money
Nathan Moore, Product Director for CFM and a 17-year veteran of the cash automation industry, knew from personal experience that Lantronix had a reputation for superior IP-to-serial conversion products. As such, Lantronix was the first—and only—company he contacted to source the right device server to develop the company’s Network Outage Redundancy Module (NORM).
Taking into consideration CFM’s requirements, Lantronix recommended the EDS2100, a unique, hybrid Ethernet terminal/multiport device server that allows remote access to and management of virtually any IT/networking equipment or edge device. The EDS2100 also provides bullet-proof security with AES, SSH and SSL built in, a key feature for CFM’s financial services customers. Because the EDS2100 fit CFM’s form factor requirements, development time was cut nearly in half. According to Moore, “We didn’t go out and look for another product; the only other option would have been to build our own piece of hardware, which would have required much more development time.”
The Results: CFM Hits the Jackpot with NORM
With NORM installed, CFM’s financial institution customers have the best of both worlds: a zero-footprint cash automation system and the redundancy required for business continuity in the event of a network outage. NORM enables all the functionality of the S4 software to be available on the enterprise server from any branch within the WAN. Once credentials are authenticated, NORM facilitates access to all cash automation functionality in a highly secure environment.
Since NORM was rolled out in December 2010, 63% of CFM clients have chosen to deploy the S4 solution with NORM, and 65% of all cash automation devices driven by CFM S4 are utilizing NORM for IP conversion and redundancy. Year to date, CFM has realized a 34% increase in revenue while solving for client needs. Looking to the future, Moore fully expects to work with Lantronix again. He explains, “Throughout my career—over 17 years of dealing with cash automation—I’ve found that whenever Lantronix is a part of the mix, the end product has the highest level of reliability, functionality and security.”
About Cash Flow Management Inc.
Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, CFM is a market leading professional software provider dedicated to servicing financial institutions, core software providers and cash automation hardware manufacturers. By dedicating themselves to the specialized financial market, CFM’s team of professionals are able to provide timely, useful and imaginative solutions to the cash automation industry. Services offered and supported by CFM include cash automation integration, software maintenance, and specialty customization projects.
For more information, visit www.cfms4.com.