KPMG Peat Marwick’s London-based management consultancy operation polled 50 local and international banks and building societies in the UK. Just 8% of respondents claimed to have already implemented open systems; 15% have plans underway, 10% said they were at the pilot stage and 11% are seriously considering it – the other 56% have no open systems plans whatsoever. Respondents’ hardware ranged from IBM S/3X or AS/400, 25.5%; DEC VAX 15.5%; IBM mainframe, 13.6%; Tandem, 11.8%; Unisys, 10.9%; NCR, 5.5%; Sun, 3.6%; HP, Bull, Olivetti, ICL, Stratus and Wang, 1.8%, others, 2.7%. Lack of products, skilled staff and standards were seen as major obstacles; 25% have significant investments in more than five different type of hardware, though only 16% see lower costs as a benefit of open systems.
