I agree with achaudoir, Internet is practically impossible to fail. Power failures or server failure are possible but not Internet failure.

There are technical solutions to deal with both power failure and server failure. The solution depends on what is acceptable from a business/operations perspective correlated with the cost for each solution.

Probably the highest risk, from a technological perspective, comes from securing the bank data in the databases from hacker attacks and viruses. Of course there are solutions which can be implemented through design, software selection, hardware installation. A security expert should be part of the IT team.

The entire internet is not likely to fail any time soon, I don't think. Though it is getting to be a more complicated and dangerous environment with every passing day. Trying to build a new bank without the internet would be more difficult than the task already is and would probably slow us down more than it would be worth. Oxfam's system is different: they are primarily working for third-world parties, while it seems that Common Good Finance is starting in more 'developed' societies. In which case, this isn't pertinent. Yet. Once the bank becomes more of a reality, I think this concern should be addressed and Oxfam could be copied.

But not so as to push them out of business, right. They are doing woderful work. We shoudl not be so concerned with growth that we eat some of their work, just serve those that Oxfam hasn't gotten to. There are a lot of people who need aid.