Tokyo, Japan – MUFG Bank, Ltd. (MUFG), NTT DATA, and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone WEST (NTT WEST), members of IOWN Global Forum (IOWN GF), are pleased to announce the successful test of ultra-low latency and high bandwidth data center interconnection by using IOWN All-Photonics Network (APN). This pioneering use case within the IOWN GF demonstrated the live migration of an IT system between multiple data centers located 50 to 100 km apart, achieving less than one second of downtime. Additionally, it showcased the long-distance synchronous replication of database management systems between locations up to 2,500 km apart.

The financial services sector faces a unique range of challenges that can be addressed through digital transformation, including performance limitations, regulatory compliance, and the critical need for reliable and resilient service delivery.

Geographically dispersed data centers are one way to solve these challenges and ensure highly reliable and disaster-resistant financial systems. However, mechanisms are required to effectively utilize technical resources across multiple locations and transfer data quickly while minimizing system downtime. Additionally, to facilitate swift infrastructure recovery in response to disasters, rapid system backups and data transfers in remote locations are necessary. MUFG and NTT DATA have collaborated to ensure IOWN APN can meet these requirements of next-generation financial systems

The companies published a white paper through the IOWN GF in July 2024 ^[1], identifying how IOWN technology can address the financial sector's challenges for digital transformation. A technical document, released in February 2025 ^[2], outlined the implementation model for the technology and serves as a handbook for the proof-of-concept (PoC).

In order to validate the technology's efficacy, MUFG, NTT DATA, and NTT WEST have jointly conducted two assessments based on the white paper and technical document.

The first assessment, conducted by NTT DATA and NTT WEST, 'Live Data Migration between Data Centers' was a live migration of a virtualized simulated financial system across multiple data centers within a 70 km radius. During the assessment, critical parameters such as data transfer time and system downtime were measured, and the results were evaluated from the perspectives of applications, databases, virtualized platforms, and networks. The results were promising, proving the effectiveness of IOWN APN with service downtime kept at under one second.

The second assessment, conducted by all three parties, 'Long Distance Synchronous Data Replication' evaluated database synchronization performance using a long-distance optical communication network, simulating distances ranging from 250 to 2,500 km. The assessment focused primarily on database synchronization, revealing substantial reductions in synchronization delays and fluctuations. The results proved IOWN APN's capability to achieve synchronous database replication over long distances, a feat that was previously deemed challenging.

Hidehiko Tanaka, Head of Technology and Innovation, NTT DATA has said, "The financial industry is undergoing a rapid technological evolution, driven by the tremendous demand for next-generation financial services, and spurred by the rapid surge of technical innovation globally. Our collaboration with MUFG and NTT WEST aims to enable this transformation and make next-generation financial services a reality through the use of IOWN technology."

The three companies will continue to explore the potential of IOWN technology to shape the next generation of financial systems. Through the IOWN GF, they will share solutions and insights, driving the development of diverse use cases with partner companies and accelerating the widespread adoption of IOWN technology worldwide.

• [1]:"Services Infrastructure for Financial Industry Use Case": https://iowngf.org/content-type/use-cases/
• [2]:"Reference Implementation Model and Proof-of-Concept Reference of Services Infrastructure for Financial Industry Use Case": https://iowngf.org/content-type/technology-docs/