WebMethods BPMS

The Rosoboronexport company belongs to that generally to not numerous category of the Russian organizations in which information landscape there is a significant amount in true sense of this word of legacy systems. In such historically developed architecture a concept information integration always makes deep meaning.

Serious information systems appeared in 1986 with acquisition of the machine of the class MainFrame and number of products of Software AG (Natural, Adabas, Predict) here. Later the company passed to mainframes of IBM. Since then gradual improvement of the information system providing management of the nomenclature, deliveries and agreements was carried out. So, in the 2003rd automatic distribution of qualifiers and reference books on all automated systems was organized.

As Frolov Alexey, the deputy chief of Department of information technologies of JSC Rosoboronexport at the Process forum of Software AG company which took place in October, 2012 noted, work of IT service in general and in the field of IT integration in particular is crucial for the enterprise. In the majority of situations it is necessary to monitor contacts with suppliers and clients — in very deep historical retrospective and when preserving parts which even do not lose the importance over time. Without competently organized and technological work with such data bulks it is impossible to build the policy of the company truly.

In the conditions of the "indistinct" integration logic connected with labor-consuming maintenance, until recently integration between different divisions was performed according to the scheme "everyone with everyone". According to Alexey Frolov, information communications between systems are very saturated and traditional means of file exchange appeared insufficiently. Besides, the similar scheme is not always transparent and technological that can lead to errors and misunderstanding. It is obvious that classical e-mail is not that tool through which data bulks so the natural question of integration of systems became relevant should be transmitted.

Were put by the purposes of a pilot project working off of standard replicated solutions at business process automation and at integration solving of tasks and also the accelerated mastering of skills of use of technology of business process automation and technology of interaction with an automated system of document flow.

In one and a half months (the end of May — the beginning of July of the 2012th) Rosoboronexport together with Software AG executed a pilot project during which on the basis of the WebMethods tools standard technological replicated solutions on application integration with the workflow system and on automation of the main business protsesov were fulfilled.

In spite of the fact that "pilot" was implemented in very short time — for all work about one and a half months left — Alexey Frolov noted that the command faced a number of difficulties of both technical, and personnel character. For example, many processes of Rosoboronservice did not give in to the simple description. Specialists had to build the mixed models assuming completely determined description only on some sections. Not so just the situation and with integration of WebMethod and Natural Security was. The shortage of qualified personnel became other important problem. So, in Software AG there was only one specialist whose qualification fully corresponded to project tasks. Despite efforts of many companies on training and certification of the employees, market requests by current specialists are not satisfied.

Implementation of this project, by Alexey Frolov's estimates, brought the mass of positive results. So, in Rosoboronexport the technology of embedding of approval of documents in any business process with a minimum of labor costs appeared, the development team received necessary practice of work with WebMethods. Besides, in the company the technology basis for complete transition to electronic document management was created. All this should allow Rosoboronexport to support the process approach to management.

In plans for the future — embedding of WebMethods in the workflow system existing at the enterprise and approbation on one of the supporting processes. Further Rosoboronexport plans large-scale application of this solution for process automation of primary activity — order processing, a contract and contracted work, etc.