Home › Circulars › RBI/2010-11/273

CFMS Upgrade to Windows 2008: Deadline Dec 31, 2010

No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet

Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/273 · issued 12 Nov 2010 · ~1 min read

Quick answerRBI mandates CFMS members to upgrade from Windows 2000 to Windows 2008 Enterprise Edition and IBM MQ 7.0 by December 31, 2010. Hardware specs are minimum; participants can scale based on volume. Application software is provided.

What changed

The CFMS system, currently on Windows 2000 advanced server with IBM Websphere MQ 5.3, will be upgraded to Microsoft Windows 2008 Enterprise Edition and IBM Websphere MQ series 7.0. RBI has issued minimum hardware and software specifications for server and client machines, and provided the necessary application software.

What it means for you

Banks and CFMS participants must plan and execute the migration to the new platform before the year-end deadline to avoid disruption. Participants need to assess their transaction volumes to size hardware appropriately, as specs are minimums.

Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.

What banks were required to do at the time

Review the enclosed hardware and software specifications for server and client machines.
Procure and configure servers (minimum latest available Dual Core, 2 Processors, 16GB RAM, 2x250GB HDD) and clients (Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM) as per your transaction needs.
Install the provided application software and migrate from Windows 2000 advanced server/MQ 5.3 to Windows 2008/MQ 7.0 by December 31, 2010.
Acknowledge receipt of this circular to RBI.

Who it affects

All CFMS member banks and financial institutions, IT and operations teams managing CFMS infrastructure, Vendors supplying hardware and software for CFMS

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Decoded by BankPulse 2026-06-19 03:44 IST
Status change: withdrawn 03 Aug 2026, 04:00 IST

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

What is the deadline for the CFMS upgrade?

The migration must be completed on or before December 31, 2010.

Are the hardware specifications mandatory or just recommendations?

The specifications are minimum requirements. Participants can decide on larger hardware based on their transaction volumes and other applications.

Do we need to set up a cluster for the server?

No, cluster is not required. RBI suggests installing two standalone servers: one primary and one disaster recovery server.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI

RBI/2010-11/273
 DPSS (CO) RTGS No.1605/04.08.002/2010-11
 November 12, 2010
 To All CFMS Members
 Dear Sir,
 Up-gradation of CFMS System to Windows 2008 
 As you are aware that CFMS system is presently running on Windows 2000 advanced server with IBM Websphere MQ series 5.3.
 2. It has been decided to upgrade CFMS system to the latest available software versions i.e. Microsoft Windows 2008 Enterprise Edition and IBM Websphere MQ series 7.0.
 3. In order to facilitate the upgradation, we enclose Hardware and Software specifications for Server and Client machines. It may be noted that hardware specifications mentioned are the minimum requirements. However, you may decide the size of the hardware based on your specific needs.
 4. The necessary application software is provided herewith.
 5. We advise you to migrate from the existing system to new version on or before December 31, 2010.
 6. Please acknowledge the receipt.
 Yours faithfully,
 (G. Srinivas)
 General Manager
 Encl: 2
 CFMS-Migration to Microsoft Windows 2008 environment 
 Hardware and Software Specifications for server and client machines -
 Minimum requirements 
 1. BLFMS Server 
 Item

Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/273 · issued 12 Nov 2010. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.

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BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly).
Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=6098&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.